Since February, Spanberger’s Law Has Delivered More Than $17 Billion to Millions of Retirees Across the Country, Including Tens of Thousands of Retired Police Officers 

FOP President Patrick Yoes: “That Journey Would Have Never Been Possible Without the Courage and Conviction of Two Leaders in the United States House of Representatives — Two Champions Who Refused to Let an Injustice Continue”

MIAMI, Fl. — The National Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) — the world’s largest organization of sworn law enforcement officers — today recognized Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger for her leadership on behalf of Virginia’s police officers and for pushing her bipartisan Social Security Fairness Act across the finish line.

During its 67th National Conference in Miami Beach, FOP recognized Spanberger with its inaugural “Armstrong Award” for her relentless commitment to securing the full benefits earned by law enforcement officers in Virginia and across the country. Spanberger and former Congressman Garret Graves (R-LA-06) led the Social Security Fairness Act, which the President signed into law earlier this year. This bipartisan legislation eliminated the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO). For more than 40 years, these two provisions unfairly reduced or eliminated retirement benefits paid into by Americans who devoted much of their careers to public service — including thousands of Virginia’s retired police officers.

“We knew that success depended on one critical factor — we had to make this a bipartisan mission. We had to rise above the political theater that dominates Washington, D.C. That journey would have never been possible without the courage and conviction of two leaders in the United States House of Representatives — two champions who refused to let an injustice continue,” said Patrick Yoes, National President, National Fraternal Order of Police. “For three consecutive congresses, these two leaders from different sides of the political aisle stood shoulder to shoulder with public employees coordinating monthly — and at times, weekly — meetings they called ‘the kitchen cabinet.’ They built a coalition of public employee groups that grew stronger with every step.”

Yoes continued, “At every single conference for the last few decades, we’ve talked about Social Security Fairness. At this conference, we’re talking about Social Security Fairness law. And that’s because of two individuals who had the courage to stand when everyone else said that this was impossible. They never gave up. We recognize that.”

“I’m deeply grateful to President Yoes and the National Fraternal Order of Police for their tireless, decades-long advocacy to solve this basic issue of fairness for law enforcement officers in Virginia and across our country. Law enforcement officers who work every day to keep our communities safe deserve every dollar they earned through their service,” said Spanberger. “I was honored to lead the charge to bring Democrats and Republicans together to finally put an end to this theft and deliver the earned benefits these heroes have long deserved.”

Spanberger continued, “As a Member of Congress, I was also proud to support our law enforcement by making sure local officers had the tools, training, resources, and funding they need to do their jobs, keep Virginians safe, and return home to their families at the end of the day. As Governor, I will continue standing up for Virginia’s men and women in uniform as we work to put our Commonwealth’s security first.”

Since Spanberger’s bipartisan Social Security Fairness Act was signed into law earlier this year, more than $310 million in earned retirement benefits have already been delivered to nearly 50,000 retired police officers and other public servants across Virginia.

FOP has supported additional legislative efforts Spanberger led to connect law enforcement officers with the resources and support they need to keep communities safe. FOP praised bipartisan legislation Spanberger led as a Member of Congress to crack down on the online sale of illicit drugs and provide state and local law enforcement with the tools they needed to respond to fentanyl overdoses.

BACKGROUND

In the U.S. House of Representatives, Spanberger worked tirelessly to deliver her Social Security Fairness Act to the President’s desk. 

Spanberger first introduced the Social Security Fairness Act in January 2021. The bipartisan legislation earned the support of more than 300 Members of Congress — both Democrats and Republicans — before the end of the 117th Congress. At the start of the 118th Congress in January 2023, Spanberger reintroduced the legislation alongside U.S. Representative Garret Graves (R-LA-06).

For nearly four years, Spanberger rallied her colleagues on both sides of the aisle and congressional leadership to support her effort to solve this basic issue of fairness. The Congresswoman heard from thousands of Virginians who have been denied their hard-earned benefits. Using their stories, she advocated on behalf of this commonsense fix and the thousands of impacted Virginians.

Spanberger never stopped working to get this legislation across the finish line. In September 2024, Spanberger and Graves filed a discharge petition for their Social Security Fairness Act — which had more than 325 bipartisan cosponsors. Less than two weeks later, the petition secured the required 218 signatures needed to force a vote in the U.S. House of Representatives. A bipartisan majority of the U.S. House then voted to pass the Social Security Fairness Act.

Following U.S. House passage of the Social Security Fairness Act, Spanberger urged U.S. Senate leadership to swiftly vote to pass the legislation before the end of the 118th Congress. Spanberger stood in the pouring rain alongside firefighters, police officers, and federal employees during a rally at the U.S. Capitol to urge U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer to bring the legislation up for a vote before the end of the 118th Congress. 

10 days later, a bipartisan majority of the U.S. Senate voted to pass the legislation in December 2024. President Biden signed the Spanberger-led Social Security Fairness Act into law on January 5, 2025.

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