**House Freedom Caucus Members Block Social Security Bill**

In a significant move on Election night, two House Freedom Caucus members halted a bipartisan bill aimed at repealing limitations on Social Security benefits for certain retired public workers. The bill, proposed by Representatives Abigail Spanberger, D-Va., and Garret Graves, R-La., sought to eliminate provisions that reduce Social Security benefits for retirees with public pensions from jobs not covered by the Social Security program. It also aimed to address benefits for surviving spouses who receive a government pension.

The proposed legislation was set to impact around 2.8 million Americans and had garnered substantial bipartisan support. It received 330 cosponsors, including the crucial endorsement of House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., surpassing the 218 necessary signatures for a petition to bring the bill to the House floor.

However, during a pro forma session on Tuesday—a brief meeting where the House typically does not conduct business—Representatives Bob Good, R-Va., and Andy Harris, R-Md., effectively stalled the bill, as reported by Roll Call. The Congressional Budget Office had estimated the bill's cost at approximately $196 million over the next decade, a figure that comes at a time when the House Freedom Caucus is pushing for spending cuts.

Richard Fiesta, Executive Director of the Alliance for Retired Americans, urged Speaker Johnson to advance the legislation for a vote. "This issue affects millions of Americans, and the bill to restore their benefit deserves an up or down vote on the merits," Fiesta stated.

USA TODAY has reached out to the offices of Representatives Good and Harris for their comments on the matter.