The popular measure gives full benefits to millions of people who currently receive them at a reduced level. Critics warn the $196 billion cost will speed up the program’s insolvency.

The Social Security Fairness Act passed by a vote of 76-20 in the early hours of Saturday.

Senate passes bipartisan bill to boost Social Security for public service retirees, eliminating long-standing benefit reductions.

The Senate passed legislation early Saturday to boost Social Security payments for millions of people, pushing a longtime priority for former public employees through Congress in one of its last acts for the year. The bipartisan bill, which next heads to President Joe Biden, will eliminate longtime reductions to Social Security benefits for nearly 3 million people who receive pensions from work in federal, state and local government, or public service jobs like teachers, firefighters and police officers. Advocates say the Social Security Fairness Act rights a decades-old disparity, though it will also put further strain on Social Security Trust Funds.

The Senate has passed legislation to boost Social Security payments for millions of people.

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Senate approved a broadly bipartisan bill early Saturday that would increase Social Security benefits for millions of Americans with pensions by ending two of the program’s policies in place for decades — the windfall elimination provision and government pension offset. The...

The Senate approved legislation to provide full Social Security benefits for public service workers who hold jobs outside of their government work.

Dec. 21 (UPI) -- The U.S. Senate early Saturday passed legislation that will expand Social Security for millions of public sector workers. The bill heads to President Joe Biden for his signature.