Election 2026

Independent, source-first accountability

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Issue record

Social Security and pensions

In short

Brown's campaign credits him with full Social Security for public workers and pensions for over 100,000 Ohioans. Husted's office says his Susan Muffley Act would restore Delphi salaried retirees' pensions. Levy's campaign lists no position on the pages checked; Redpath's warns of benefit cuts by 2032 and wants a reform commission. Brown sponsored the Social Security Fairness Act, now law, and voted for the 2021 pension funding law; the 100,000 figure is not settled.

Campaign positions

What each campaign says.

Sherrod Brown

His campaign credits him with the law restoring full Social Security payments to public workers and with securing the retirements of more than 100,000 Ohioans whose pensions were at risk.

Jon Husted

His office says his Susan Muffley Act would restore the pensions of more than 21,000 Delphi salaried retirees, about 5,180 of them in Ohio.

Greg Levy

No position on Social Security or pensions was found on his campaign's About, Platform or About the PSL pages.

William B. Redpath

His campaign warns that Social Security payments will be cut by about 24 per cent by late 2032 without action, and proposes a commission to draw up reforms for a single up-or-down vote in Congress.

Evidence timeline

What the record shows.

  1. official action

    Sherrod Brown: Matches stated record claim

    He sponsored the Social Security Fairness Act in five Congresses and voted for the House version, now law; about 2.8 million had cut benefits, and no record shows what part he played.

    Read the full check

    Full detail

    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. 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. 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.

  2. official action

    Sherrod Brown: Matches stated direction

    He sponsored the Butch Lewis Act and voted for the 2021 law funding troubled pension plans; a federal list counts 26,348 people in plans based in Ohio, leaving out Ohioans in other plans.

    Read the full check

    Full detail

    His campaign says that when Wall Street banks gambled away workers' pensions, he led the charge to make sure more than 100,000 Ohioans got the retirement they were owed. He introduced the Butch Lewis Act three times: S. 2147 in 2017, S. 2254 in 2019 and S. 547, the Butch Lewis Emergency Pension Plan Relief Act, on March 2, 2021. None passed under its own number. In 2018 he co-chaired, with Senator Orrin Hatch, Congress's joint select committee on the solvency of multiemployer pension plans. He voted Yea on Senate passage of H.R. 1319, the American Rescue Plan Act, in the sitting of March 5, 2021, which ran into March 6 (Roll Call 110, 50 to 49); it became Public Law 117-2 on March 11, 2021. Three sections of S. 547 are in that law's pension provisions almost word for word and under the same headings: a temporary delay of critical and declining status (section 9701), longer funding improvement and rehabilitation periods (section 9702) and adjusted funding standard account rules (section 9703). His bill's central relief paid for partitions of troubled plans from a new eighth fund under section 4005 of ERISA; section 9704 sets up that eighth fund in the same words but pays special financial assistance to plans directly, rather than through partitions. The Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation's list of approved plans, updated September 18, 2026, has 17 plans located in Ohio, with 26,348 participants between them. Limit: Three Congresses of sponsorship, a vote for the law that funded troubled pension plans, and his own bill's text in that law go the way the claim does; the law passed 50 to 49. What holds the label to the claim's direction is the number, over 100,000 Ohioans. PBGC's list counts where plans are based, not where members live, so it leaves out Ohioans in plans based elsewhere, such as Central States in Chicago. It neither proves nor disproves the number.

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Sources25 source records

How we use sources

  1. Campaign home pagehttps://www.sherrodbrown.com/

    Friends of Sherrod Brown · Reviewed Sep 23, 2026

    Campaign-controlled source. Positions and claims are attributed to the campaign, not independently verified facts. The biography section holds all of his claims about his own record. Its footer reads "Paid for by Friends of Sherrod Brown" and links his X, Instagram, Facebook, Threads, TikTok, YouTube and Bluesky accounts. The site's WordPress API refuses anonymous readers (HTTP 401), so pages were read as a reader reaches them.

    candidate statement

    For: Sherrod Brown: campaign position; Sherrod Brown: Matches stated record claim; Sherrod Brown: Matches stated direction

  2. Husted, Gillibrand, Moreno, Peters lead solution to restore Delphi salaried retirees' pensionshttps://www.husted.senate.gov/media/press-releases/husted-gillibrand-moreno-peters-lead-solution-to-restore-delphi-salaried-retirees-pensions/

    Office of Senator Jon Husted · Published Jun 5, 2025 · Reviewed Sep 23, 2026

    Released by his Senate office. Claims are the office's own and are attributed, not independently verified.

    candidate statement

    For: Jon Husted: campaign position

  3. S. 1950, Susan Muffley Act of 2025, 119th Congresshttps://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/1950

    Congress.gov · Reviewed Sep 23, 2026

    Sponsor: Jon Husted, introduced June 4, 2025. Referred to the HELP Committee.

    official legislative record

    For: Jon Husted: campaign position

  4. About Greghttps://www.greg4senate.com/about

    Greg Levy for Senate · Reviewed Sep 23, 2026

    Campaign-controlled source. Positions and claims are attributed to the campaign, not independently verified facts. Footer reads "PAID FOR BY GREG LEVY FOR SENATE". He filed no website with the FEC; the domain is the one his campaign uses. The site links Instagram and TikTok accounts @greglevy4senate and no X account.

    candidate statement

    For: Greg Levy: campaign position

  5. Our Platformhttps://www.greg4senate.com/platform

    Greg Levy for Senate · Reviewed Sep 23, 2026

    Campaign-controlled source. Positions and claims are attributed to the campaign, not independently verified facts. A 2,836-word platform, the whole of his issue material.

    candidate statement

    For: Greg Levy: campaign position

  6. About the PSLhttps://www.greg4senate.com/about-the-psl

    Greg Levy for Senate · Reviewed Sep 23, 2026

    Campaign-controlled source. Positions and claims are attributed to the campaign, not independently verified facts. Describes the Party for Socialism and Liberation, whose program the campaign presents.

    candidate statement

    For: Greg Levy: campaign position

  7. What I Stand Forhttps://billredpath.com/faq/

    Redpath for US Senate Committee · Reviewed Sep 23, 2026

    Campaign-controlled source. Positions and claims are attributed to the campaign, not independently verified facts. The site's issues page, served at /faq/: Iran, tariffs, immigration, the debt and entitlements, federal spending, taxes and electoral reform.

    candidate statement

    For: William B. Redpath: campaign position

  8. S. 1651, Social Security Fairness Act of 2015, 114th Congresshttps://www.congress.gov/bill/114th-congress/senate-bill/1651

    Congress.gov · Reviewed Sep 23, 2026

    Sponsor: Sherrod Brown. Did not pass.

    official legislative record

    For: Sherrod Brown: Matches stated record claim

  9. S. 915, Social Security Fairness Act of 2017, 115th Congresshttps://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/senate-bill/915

    Congress.gov · Reviewed Sep 23, 2026

    Sponsor: Sherrod Brown. Did not pass.

    official legislative record

    For: Sherrod Brown: Matches stated record claim

  10. S. 521, Social Security Fairness Act, 116th Congresshttps://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/senate-bill/521

    Congress.gov · Reviewed Sep 23, 2026

    Sponsor: Sherrod Brown. Did not pass.

    official legislative record

    For: Sherrod Brown: Matches stated record claim

  11. S. 1302, Social Security Fairness Act, 117th Congresshttps://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/senate-bill/1302

    Congress.gov · Reviewed Sep 23, 2026

    Sponsor: Sherrod Brown. Did not pass.

    official legislative record

    For: Sherrod Brown: Matches stated record claim

  12. S. 597, Social Security Fairness Act, 118th Congresshttps://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/senate-bill/597

    Congress.gov · Reviewed Sep 23, 2026

    Sponsor: Sherrod Brown. Referred to the Finance Committee; the House bill was the one enacted. Its sections 2 to 4, repealing the Government Pension Offset and the Windfall Elimination Provision and setting the effective date, are word for word sections 2 to 4 of Public Law 118-273; only the short title differs.

    official legislative record

    For: Sherrod Brown: Matches stated record claim

  13. H.R. 82, Social Security Fairness Act of 2023, 118th Congresshttps://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/82

    Congress.gov · Reviewed Sep 23, 2026

    Sponsor: Representative Garret Graves, introduced January 9, 2023. Became Public Law 118-273.

    official legislative record

    For: Sherrod Brown: Matches stated record claim

  14. Senate Roll Call 337 (118th Congress), H.R. 82, motion to waive the Budget Act point of orderhttps://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/CREC-2024-12-20

    Congressional Record, U.S. Government Publishing Office · Reviewed Sep 23, 2026

    Agreed to 66 to 30, so the point of order against the bill fell. The Record prints this sitting under December 20, 2024; it ran into December 21, the date Congress.gov gives. Read from the Record's printed roll call; the name blocks, block headers and announced tally all agree.

    official legislative record

    Senate Roll Call 338 (118th Congress), H.R. 82, on passage

    Congressional Record, U.S. Government Publishing Office · Reviewed Sep 23, 2026

    Passed 76 to 20. The Record prints this sitting under December 20, 2024; the next calendar day holds no Senate proceedings, because the sitting ran past midnight. Read from the Record's printed roll call; the name blocks, block headers and announced tally all agree.

    official legislative record

    For: Sherrod Brown: Matches stated record claim

  15. Public Law 118-273, Social Security Fairness Act of 2023https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/PLAW-118publ273

    U.S. Government Publishing Office · Reviewed Sep 23, 2026

    Approved January 5, 2025. Section 2 repeals the Government Pension Offset and section 3 the Windfall Elimination Provision.

    official legislative record

    For: Sherrod Brown: Matches stated record claim

  16. Celebrating our recent Social Security Fairness Act milestonehttps://www.ssa.gov/news/en/advocates/2025-07-10.html

    Social Security Administration · Published Jul 10, 2025 · Reviewed Sep 24, 2026

    SSA's update of July 10, 2025. The page refuses automated readers (HTTP 403), so it was read in the browser pane on September 24, 2026 and its text saved (sha256 92d9112271fe41ad49cf8ff77a93b1773dcd70be1d5b87cc737c3c5ee0f07cd8). It counts about 2.8 million current beneficiaries whose benefits the two provisions had reduced when the law passed. Its figure of over 3.1 million counts payments, not people.

    official office record

    For: Sherrod Brown: Matches stated record claim

  17. S. 2147, Butch Lewis Act of 2017, 115th Congresshttps://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/senate-bill/2147

    Congress.gov · Reviewed Sep 23, 2026

    Sponsor: Sherrod Brown. Did not pass.

    official legislative record

    For: Sherrod Brown: Matches stated direction

  18. S. 2254, Butch Lewis Act of 2019, 116th Congresshttps://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/senate-bill/2254

    Congress.gov · Reviewed Sep 23, 2026

    Sponsor: Sherrod Brown. Did not pass.

    official legislative record

    For: Sherrod Brown: Matches stated direction

  19. S. 547, Butch Lewis Emergency Pension Plan Relief Act of 2021, 117th Congresshttps://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/senate-bill/547

    Congress.gov · Reviewed Sep 23, 2026

    Sponsor: Sherrod Brown, introduced March 2, 2021. Did not pass under its own number. Its sections 4, 5 and 6 appear almost word for word, under the same headings, as sections 9701, 9702 and 9703 of Public Law 117-2. Its section 2 funds partitions of troubled plans from a new eighth fund under section 4005 of ERISA; section 9704 of the law sets up the eighth fund in the same words but pays special financial assistance to plans directly.

    official legislative record

    For: Sherrod Brown: Matches stated direction

  20. Appointments to the Joint Select Committee on Solvency of Multiemployer Pension Planshttps://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/CREC-2018-02-27/CREC-2018-02-27-pt1-PgS1254-2

    Congressional Record, U.S. Government Publishing Office · Published Feb 27, 2018 · Reviewed Sep 23, 2026

    Page S1254 of February 27, 2018: the Senate appointees, with Orrin G. Hatch and Sherrod Brown named co-chairs.

    official legislative record

    For: Sherrod Brown: Matches stated direction

  21. S. Hrg. 115-697, hearing of the Joint Select Committee on Solvency of Multiemployer Pension Planshttps://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/CHRG-115shrg38021

    U.S. Government Publishing Office · Published May 17, 2018 · Reviewed Sep 23, 2026

    The committee's hearing of May 17, 2018. Its roster lists Senator Sherrod Brown of Ohio as co-chairman.

    official legislative record

    For: Sherrod Brown: Matches stated direction

  22. Senate Roll Call 110 (117th Congress), H.R. 1319, American Rescue Plan Act, on passagehttps://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/CREC-2021-03-05

    Congressional Record, U.S. Government Publishing Office · Reviewed Sep 23, 2026

    Passed 50 to 49. The Record prints this sitting under March 5, 2021; it ran into March 6. The shared collector refused this day as a whole, because another vote in the same section breaks its arithmetic, and this vote was re-read on its own and passed all three checks. Read from the Record's printed roll call; the name blocks, block headers and announced tally all agree.

    official legislative record

    For: Sherrod Brown: Matches stated direction

  23. H.R. 1319, American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, 117th Congresshttps://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/1319

    Congress.gov · Reviewed Sep 23, 2026

    Became Public Law 117-2.

    official legislative record

    For: Sherrod Brown: Matches stated direction

  24. Public Law 117-2, American Rescue Plan Act of 2021https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/PLAW-117publ2

    U.S. Government Publishing Office · Reviewed Sep 23, 2026

    Approved March 11, 2021. Sections 9701 to 9703 give multiemployer plans temporary relief from critical and declining status, longer funding improvement and rehabilitation periods and adjusted funding standard account rules, in the words of sections 4 to 6 of S. 547. Section 9704 creates special financial assistance for financially troubled multiemployer pension plans.

    official legislative record

    For: Sherrod Brown: Matches stated direction

  25. Special financial assistance applications approved (document)

    Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation · Published Sep 18, 2026 · Reviewed Sep 24, 2026

    PBGC's workbook, "SFA Approved" sheet, updated as of September 18, 2026 (sha256 7f3cdee03c205e05e9750c8f38a796c9bbd797987305d8824c5ebdff5df4be02; the live file matched on September 24, 2026). It lists 21 approvals for plans located in Ohio: 17 plans, with 26,348 participants, once each supplemented application is counted once. Location is where a plan is based, not where its members live; Central States is listed in Chicago.

    official office record

    For: Sherrod Brown: Matches stated direction