Fong’s Clergy Act to Support Faith Leaders Signed into Law

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, President Trump signed H.R. 227, the Clergy Act into law. This effort, led by Congressman Vince Fong (CA-20) in the U.S. House of Representatives and Senator Katie Britt (R-AL) in the U.S. Senate, marks a major step forward in giving pastors and clergy members greater retirement security.

The Clergy Act establishes a one-time re-enrollment window for pastors and other clergy members who previously opted out of Social Security to voluntarily opt back in and begin contributing to their financial future.

Some pastors opted out decades ago, often due to inaccurate advice, only to later face significant financial hardship. Under previous law, this opt-out was permanent. For clergy who have spent their lives serving their communities and congregations, this restores the freedom to secure basic financial protection in retirement.

"Our faith leaders dedicate their lives to serving others and strengthening our communities," said Congressman Fong. "The Clergy Act gives clergy members who previously opted out of Social Security the opportunity to re-enroll and secure their financial future. I'm proud this bipartisan legislation passed both chambers of Congress and was signed into law by President Trump. Thank you to Senator Britt for her partnership and to President Trump for his leadership and commitment to our faith community. Those who spend their lives caring for others deserve the opportunity to plan for their own future. This law is an important step toward making that happen."

"I'm grateful to President Trump for signing the Clergy Act into law today and for standing with the faith leaders who serve our communities daily. Pastors, priests, and ministers are pillars of their communities for a reason, and they deserve the chance to build a secure retirement for themselves and their families. Many made this decision at the very start of their ministry without fully understanding what it would mean down the road, and I'm thrilled they will now have the chance to re-enroll in these important benefits. I'm thankful for Senator Hassan's partnership and for Congressman Vince Fong's leadership in the House in getting this commonsense, bipartisan bill to the President's desk and now enacted," said Senator Britt.

"America's pastors and faith leaders spend their lives caring for others," said Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith. "Many chose to opt out of Social Security when they were young and just starting their ministry. A single, sometimes ill-advised, decision made decades ago should not stand between them and a secure retirement. The Clergy Act gives them a second chance. I commend Representative Fong for standing up for our faith leaders and thank President Trump for signing this into law."

"Congressman Vince Fong's leadership on the Clergy Act will provide an additional option for many ministers as they prepare for retirement. We are grateful for his commitment to pastors and ministry families, and GuideStone stands ready to provide the education and resources ministers need to evaluate whether this opportunity is right for them," said Dr. D. Hance Dilbeck Jr., President and CEO of GuideStone Financial Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention.

"Catholic priests and religious leaders have dedicated their lives to service of Christ by ministering to the faithful and all those who are in need. As law, the Clergy Act will help enable them to obtain better financial well-being in their retirement. We are grateful to Congress for enacting this important legislation," said Chieko Noguchi, Executive Director of the Office of Public Affairs, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

"Southern Baptists care deeply about ensuring that our ministers and their families are cared for in retirement after their years of obeying God's call to serve in ministry. The ERLC is excited to see the Clergy Act signed into law, which will benefit eligible ministry families as they plan for their retirement. We are grateful to Rep. Vince Fong and Sen. Katie Britt for their leadership on the Clergy Act in Congress and to President Trump for signing the bill into law," said Dr. Evan Lenow, President, Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention.

"I thank the President for signing the Clergy Act into law, and, again, I applaud the bipartisan leadership of Congressman Fong, Congressman Thompson, Senator Britt, and Senator Hassan in successfully advancing this bill in Congress," said Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA) President & CEO Michael Martin. "The temporary window this law opens for ministers to re-enter the Social Security system is a breath of fresh air for many servant leaders who may feel trapped by a decision they did not fully understand as they began their pastoral work."

"By giving clergy who previously opted out of Social Security an opportunity to opt back in, the Clergy Act will create a pathway to a stronger financial foundation in retirement for those who have dedicated their lives to serving our communities," said Christopher Wells, Executive Director, Church Alliance. "The Church Alliance is grateful that this important piece of legislation has been signed into law and looks forward to working with the Internal Revenue Service, Social Security Administration, and Congress on its implementation."

"AARP is pleased to endorse this bipartisan and common-sense legislation to allow clergy members to opt back into earning Social Security and Medicare benefits for retirement," said Jennifer Jones, Vice President, Financial Security and Livable Communities, AARP.

"Many pastors and ministry families will be helped by the Clergy Act becoming law. I am grateful to Congressman Vince Fong and all who worked diligently to make this possible, and I am thankful that pastors who qualify will now have the opportunity to re-enroll in Social Security and prepare more securely for their senior years," said Dr. Paul Chappell, Pastor, Lancaster Baptist Church.

"Faith & Giving applauds the enactment of the Clergy Act, an important and long-overdue reform that will help provide greater financial security for clergy who have devoted their lives to serving others," said Brian Walsh, Executive Director, Faith & Giving. "After years of championing this vital reform, we are especially grateful to Representatives Vince Fong and Mike Thompson and the other bipartisan champions who made this achievement possible."

Background on the Clergy Act

The Clergy Act creates a two-year window - covering taxable years beginning January 1, 2029, and January 1, 2030 - for eligible clergy members who previously opted out of Social Security to revoke their exemption and begin contributing. Importantly, this legislation does not modify existing Social Security regulations. Eligible clergy must still meet the standard 10-year contribution requirement to earn full retired-worker benefits, receiving benefits proportional to their contributions. The bill also requires the IRS and Social Security Administration to submit a plan to Congress outlining their strategy to inform clergy members of their eligibility to re-enroll.

Historically, Congress has approved limited re-enrollment windows, including in 1999 under the Ticket to Work Act.

The legislation was co-led in the House by Congressman Mike Thompson (CA-04). It passed the House Ways and Means Committee unanimously, 40-0, and overwhelmingly passed the House of Representatives with bipartisan support 350-5 before passing the Senate unanimously.