I want to tell you a story about a decades-long fight, a new friendship, and a commitment to fairness. As we live through a moment when many people struggle to believe in their government and leaders, I think this one could help.
More than 40 years ago, changes were made to Social Security that significantly reduced the monthly benefits for public retirees − those who worked in both the public and private sectors. By 2024, nearly three million police officers, teachers, firefighters, and other public workers were still not receiving their full benefits.
Since 2001, Congress had a fix − the Social Security Fairness Act − but every year, something got in the way. Finally, in the 118th Congress, constituents stepped in and got involved. In our case, it was Melissa Johnson, a kindergarten teacher from Warren County, who plans to retire after this school year…