Social Security: the Fairness Act
What they say
His campaign says that because of him, more than two million former teachers, bus drivers, police officers, firefighters and other workers now receive their full Social Security payments.
“because of Sherrod Brown, over 2 million former teachers, bus drivers, police officers, firefighters, and other workers are now receiving their full Social Security payments”
Source: Friends of Sherrod Brown
What the record shows ·
He introduced the Social Security Fairness Act in five Congresses running: S. 1651 in 2015, S. 915 in 2017, S. 521 in 2019, S. 1302 in 2021 and S. 597 in 2023. The version enacted was the House bill of the same name, H.R. 82, sponsored by Representative Garret Graves; its operative sections, repealing the two provisions and setting the date the repeal applies from, are word for word those of his S. 597. In the Senate sitting of December 20, 2024, which ran into December 21, he voted Yea on the motion to waive the budget point of order raised against it, which carried 66 to 30 (Roll Call 337), and Yea on passage, which carried 76 to 20 (Roll Call 338). It became Public Law 118-273 on January 5, 2025, repealing the Government Pension Offset and the Windfall Elimination Provision. The Social Security Administration said on July 10, 2025 that when the law passed, about 2.8 million current beneficiaries had benefits reduced by the two provisions.
Sources: Congress.gov, Congress.gov, Congress.gov, Congress.gov, Congress.gov, Congress.gov, Congressional Record, U.S. Government Publishing Office, Congressional Record, U.S. Government Publishing Office, U.S. Government Publishing Office, Social Security Administration
Limit: The record shows him as the Senate sponsor of this measure across five Congresses and voting for it at both Senate votes that carried it. The law was enacted under the House bill's number with his bill's operative text; this desk treats a bill enacted under its companion's number as enacted, for every candidate. "Because of Sherrod Brown" is a claim about cause, which no roll call settles on its own: the House bill had its own sponsor, and 76 senators voted for it. SSA's count of about 2.8 million backs "over 2 million", though it counts people whose benefits were cut, not people now paid in full. Its figure of over 3.1 million counts payments, not people.