Louisiana Fraternal Order of Police

The Louisiana Fraternal Order of Police sends prayers and condolences to the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office. We stand with you during this difficult time and mourn alongside you. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of the Deputy who made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty.

Thanks to Utah State Lodge for the hospitality at the National Board meeting and State president's meeting in Salt Lake City. A great chance for leaders from across the nation to network, learn from one another to improve our membership back at home.

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The FOP National Board of Trustees Meeting for 2025 kicks off tomorrow! See you all there!

“This weekend, Executive Board members Tiger Folks and Willie Jenkins attended the Southern States Association meeting, hosted by the state of Alabama. Proud to have our leadership representing us!”

Louisiana FOP leaders are in Alabama today, representing our members at the FOP Southern States Association meeting. This gathering unites FOP leaders from twelve states, working together to strengthen and advance the law enforcement profession.

This week, local lodge leaders and Louisiana state board members attended the National Fraternal Order of Police's Leadership Matters and Wellness Summit in Nashville. These seminars are crucial for equipping local leaders with the knowledge they need to address critical issues facing their members back home.

Victory for Law Enforcement: HR 82 Signed into Law!

The Louisiana Fraternal Order of Police is proud to celebrate a monumental achievement for our members and retired public servants across the nation. HR 82, the Social Security Fairness Act, has been signed into law!

This historic legislation repeals the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO), ensuring that law enforcement officers, firefighters, teachers, and other public employees finally receive the Social Security benefits they’ve earned and deserve.

We extend our deepest gratitude to National FOP President Pat Yoes for his unwavering leadership and tireless advocacy. Special thanks also go to Louisiana's entire congressional delegation for standing with us every step of the way. Your support made this victory possible!

This success reflects the power of unity and relentless advocacy. To our members: your dedication to this cause has paid off. Today, we celebrate a brighter future for our retired heroes and their families.

THE SOCIAL SECURITY FAIRNESS ACT IS NOW LAW

Just moments ago, Executive Director Jim Pasco and I had the honor of standing alongside President Joe Biden at the White House as he signed the Social Security Fairness Act into law. This moment marks the culmination of a long and challenging effort throughout the 118th Congress to secure fairness for millions of public employees. With the stroke of the President’s pen, we have completed the final step in a process that will profoundly impact the lives of millions of America’s hardest-working individuals—our public servants.

I want to begin by expressing my immense pride in every member of the Fraternal Order of Police who made the Social Security Fairness Act our top priority. Time and again, I heard from congressional staff, Representatives, and Senators that they received thousands of calls and messages from FOP members in support of this legislation.

As your National President, I am deeply honored by your confidence in me and grateful for the opportunity to play a part in this journey we all undertook together. The unity and leadership of the FOP cannot be overstated.

The repeal of the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO) represents one of the most significant advancements in the FOP’s 110-year history. Since our founding in 1915, the FOP has played a vital role in every major legislative milestone concerning law enforcement and public employee rights. This victory adds to our extensive list of achievements, solidifying our reputation as a powerful advocate for justice and fairness.

This success would not have been possible without the unwavering support and action of our members. At every level, state and local lodge leaders mobilized their ranks to write letters, make calls, and meet with elected officials. Your dedication created an undeniable force that demanded attention and action. The passion and determination of our members nationwide were the driving forces behind this triumph. Your persistence ensured that public servants were heard—loud and clear.

This is not only a win for the FOP; it is a victory for every public servant impacted by these unjust provisions. The repeal of WEP and GPO goes beyond legislative success—it reflects the core values of our nation. It sends a clear message that the sacrifices and contributions of public servants will not be overlooked or undervalued. Today, we celebrate the end of a 40-year injustice and the beginning of a new chapter for public employees and their families.

While we pause to celebrate, our mission remains unwavering. The FOP will continue to lead on critical issues affecting our members and the broader law enforcement community. Together, we will build on this success, ensuring that fairness, respect, and dignity remain at the heart of our profession.

Thank you for your partnership, support, and determination. This moment belongs to all of us—members and our FOP legislative staff alike—and it marks a bright future for the FOP and for public servants across the nation.

Social Security Fairness Act Q&A Guide
https://national.fop.net/socialsecurityfairnessactquestionsandanswers

The Social Security Fairness Act represents a significant step forward in addressing long-standing inequities in the Social Security system. This legislation repeals two unfair provisions in the Social Security Code, the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO), which have disproportionately impacted public safety officers and other government employees.

To help our members better understand these important changes and the timeline for implementation, the Fraternal Order of Police has created a comprehensive Questions and Answers guide. This resource provides clear explanations about how the repeal of these provisions will affect you, what to expect moving forward, and how to navigate the updates to your benefits.

As the situation evolves and new details emerge, this document will be updated regularly to ensure it remains an accurate and reliable resource. We encourage you to check back often for the latest questions and answers.

There are a lot of blue lights out there in New Orleans tonight that have been working nonstop all day. When people run away from a tragedy, it’s our brave law enforcement officers who run towards it. Thank you all for your bravery and service! 💙

The Louisiana Fraternal Order of Police mourns the tragic loss of 10 lives in New Orleans and the injuries suffered by two brave officers. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims, their families, and the entire community. Together, we stand united against violence.

The Social Security Fairness Act (H.R. 82) is a crucial piece of legislation that affects many of us in law enforcement. It aims to repeal the unfair Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and Government Pension Offset (GPO) that have penalized public employees and their families for far too long.

The Senate is preparing to vote, and your voice is needed now more than ever to ensure this bill reaches final passage.

Take Action Today

We’ve made it easy for you to contact your Senators and make your voice heard. Click the link below to take action:

Voter Voice Support bills and legislation. Make your voice heard.

THURSDAY UPDATE on H.R. 82, the Social Security Fairness Act.

I am immensely proud of the grassroots advocacy demonstrated by each of you. We would not be where we are today—on the verge of correcting a four-decade injustice—without your hard work and dedication. THANK YOU!

We achieved a significant victory yesterday with a decisive 73-27 vote to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to the consideration of H.R. 82, the Social Security Fairness Act. With cloture invoked, a 30-hour clock has started before the Senate can vote on the motion to proceed—essentially a vote to agree to hold a vote.

Typically, the two parties would expedite this process to avoid “wasting” 30 hours of floor time. However, due to the collapse of the Continuing Resolution agreement in the House and concerns about using the time for judicial appointments, Senate Republicans have been reluctant to speed up the clock. As a result, the vote on the motion to proceed may not take place until 9 PM this evening or even tomorrow. All this being said, please understand that opposition and delays could ease and allow the bill to advance around 4pm.

Please note: This is not a vote on final passage. It is a vote on the motion to proceed—a necessary step to allow the Senate to vote on H.R. 82.

What’s Next:
• After the vote on the motion to proceed, we will face Senator Crapo’s (R-ID) budgetary point of order, which will require 60 votes to waive.
• If successful, we must contend with three hostile amendments, any of which would effectively kill H.R. 82. The FOP opposes ALL amendments, each of which also requires 60 votes to pass:
o S. Amdt. 3331 (Crapo, R-ID);
o S. Amdt. 3335 (Grassley, R-IA); and
o S. Amdt. 3336 (Cruz, R-TX).
Senator Cruz’s amendment is a reintroduction of legislation to reconfigure the WEP while leaving the GPO fully intact—legislation that was rejected by the House last month. The NFOP opposes this alternate formular.

The Situation:
The process remains fluid, and anything could happen. Without a House-passed Continuing Resolution, the Senate may drag out this process for as long as possible.

What You Can Do:
We urge ALL members to contact their Senators and THANK those who voted in favor of cloture yesterday. Then advocate for the following:
• Vote YES to waive the budgetary point of order and allow the Senate to vote on H.R. 82.
• Vote NO on any and all amendments to H.R. 82, including:
o S. Amdt. 3331 (Crapo, R-ID);
o S. Amdt. 3335 (Grassley, R-IA); and
o S. Amdt. 3336 (Cruz, R-TX).
• Vote YES on final passage of H.R. 82.
To see how your Senator voted on cloture, you can find the details here: Senate Cloture Vote Details.

Additionally:
• Call Senator Cruz and Senator Crapo TODAY, multiple times – Demand they pull these dangerous amendments. Tell them in no uncertain terms that we will NOT stand by while our rights are undermined.
o Senator Cruz: (202) 224-5922
o Senator Crapo: (202) 224-6142
• Email both Senators – Let them know how strongly you feel. Make it clear that these amendments must be removed.
• Senator Cruz- [email protected]
• Senator Crapo- [email protected]
• Share this message – Spread the word to everyone you know. We need a massive, unified response to make sure our voices are heard.

Copy this message for your emails:
Dear Senators Cruz and Crapo,
The cloture vote on H.R. 82, the Social Security Fairness Act, with an overwhelming 73-27 majority, clearly demonstrates broad bipartisan support for the bill in its current form.

Efforts to obstruct the resolution of this 40-year injustice faced by public workers risk causing irreparable harm to your working relationship with members of the Fraternal Order of Police at the local, state, and national levels.

I urge you to prioritize transparency, good faith collaboration, and respect for the will of your colleagues who have voiced their support for this critical legislation.
Thank You!

In closing, I am optimistic about the success and passage of H.R. 82, but we must remain vigilant and engaged to the very end.

I will keep you updated as developments unfold. Let’s keep the momentum working in our favor. Use this gap in time to contact Senators, especially, Cruz and Crapo.

The Louisiana Fraternal Order of Police spearheaded this legislation and wants to thank Attorney General Murrill for defending law enforcement.

The 25-foot buffer zone law for working police is a reasonable time, place, and manner restriction that ensures law enforcement can do their jobs without threat or obstruction by others. We were proud to present oral arguments today in defense of Act 259, which protects those who protect us. Act 259 is plainly constitutional. We look forward to the judge’s decision, which we are confident will recognize the importance of protecting our peace officers while they are executing their duties.

The Louisiana Fraternal Order of Police welcomes the Bogue Chitto Lodge #65, Washington Parish Sheriff’s Office, to the Order. 1st Vice President James “Tiger” Folks, Secretary Ronnie Labarriere, 2nd Vice President Dawn Powell, and Crescent City Lodge #2 member Jimmy Gallaher were present to swear in the chartering members of the Bogue Chitto Lodge #65.

On December 7, 2024 every voter will have 4 Constitutional Amendments on their ballot. Below is a summary of the amendments.

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🎓✨ We’re thrilled to share that the Louisiana Fraternal Order of Police has awarded six regional scholarships this year to deserving members or their dependents. These scholarships are a testament to the vital role of education and the extensive benefits available to our FOP members.

📸 Congratulations to Hailey Griffith, a scholarship recipient and dependent of Cody Griffith from Lodge #36, featured in our photo!

👨‍🎓👩‍🎓 We are committed to fostering the educational pursuits of our law enforcement families. For more information about FOP membership benefits or scholarship opportunities, please visit our website.

📚 Investing in education means building a stronger community and a brighter future for our members and their families. Let’s celebrate the success and continued growth of our educational initiatives!