Congressman Fong's Bipartisan Clergy Act Passes House

Today, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 227, Congressman Vince Fong's (CA-20) bipartisan Clergy Act 350-5, a major step forward in giving pastors and clergy members greater retirement security. Congressman Fong reintroduced this legislation last year alongside Congressman Mike Thompson (CA-04).

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.

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

"We know our faith leaders are the backbone of our communities, guiding moral and spiritual life across the Central Valley and our entire nation," said Congressman Fong (CA-20). "The Clergy Act gives them the freedom to temporarily re-enroll in Social Security if they previously opted out, empowering them to take greater control of their financial future. I'm thrilled this bill passed the House with strong bipartisan support, and I urge my colleagues in the Senate to pass this legislation swiftly."

"Members of the clergy offer hope and guidance to Americans and their families every day - including no doubt many of the 70 million Americans who receive a monthly Social Security benefit," said Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith. "By providing a one-time window of opportunity for clergy - who opted out of Social Security but wish to rejoin - to restore their participation in the system, the Clergy Act will help them achieve a more secure retirement. I appreciate Representative Fong's hard work on behalf of the faith leaders in his state of California and across this country who support communities with their wise and compassionate counsel."

"Faith leaders play a critical role in supporting our communities - offering them the flexibility to opt in to Social Security as they plan for retirement just makes sense. I'm glad to co-lead this bipartisan effort with Rep. Fong and excited it passed the House today. I look forward to continuing our work to pass this into law," said Rep. Thompson.

"Across our nation, whether in big cities or rural America, faith leaders serve as pillars of their communities," said Senator Katie Britt (R-AL). "The CLERGY Act supports our clergy members who have opted out of Social Security by giving them the opportunity to pay into these benefits and would help alleviate financial burdens for these individuals people who serve such important roles in countless lives. I'm thrilled to see it pass the House of Representatives, and I will continue working to get this passed in the Senate and to President Trump's desk to be signed into law."

The Clergy Act is supported by a broad coalition of faith-based and retirement security organizations, including the National Association of Evangelicals, Church Alliance, Evangelical Council of Financial Accountability (ECFA), and GuideStone Financial Resources, Lancaster Baptist Church, AARP, and more.

"The Church Alliance commends the passage of the Clergy Act-a bipartisan measure in support of our nation's faith leaders," said Chris Wells, Executive Director of the Church Alliance. "This bill offers a fair re-enrollment window, giving clergy who've faithfully served our communities an avenue to a complete retirement package. We applaud the bipartisan leadership behind this bill and its commitment to those who dedicate their lives to serving others."

"Having heard numerous stories of ministers who feel trapped by a decision they did not fully understand as they began their pastoral work, I know this bill will be a breath of fresh air for many faith leaders," said ECFA President & CEO Michael Martin. "This bill is very reasonable and very welcome. I am grateful to Congressman Fong and Congressman Thompson for championing it in the House Ways and Means Committee and on the floor of the House."

We are thankful for Congressman Fong's leadership and persistence in advancing the Clergy Act and helping shepherd it to House approval," said Dr. D. Hance Dilbeck, Jr., President and Chief Executive Officer of GuideStone Financial Resources. "Thanks to his efforts and the support of his co-sponsors, we are one step closer to giving ministers a meaningful opportunity to opt back into Social Security and better prepare for long-term financial security."

"We are grateful to Congressman Vince Fong for his leadership in advancing the Clergy Act through the House. This legislation addresses a real need for pastors and faith leaders across our country and provides an important opportunity to better prepare for the future after years of faithful ministry to their churches and communities." said Dr. Paul Chappell, Pastor, Lancaster Baptist Church.

"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.

"Ministry, though an immense privilege, brings many challenges, including financial ones, to pastors and their families. The Clergy Act is a real opportunity to ensure pastors can prepare well as they approach retirement. The ERLC is thrilled the Clergy Act has passed the House and is grateful to Rep. Vince Fong for his work to remedy this issue. We now encourage the Senate to swiftly pass this bill and send it to the White House," said Dr. Gary Hollingsworth, Interim President of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission.

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 Internal Revenue System (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. In the 118th Congress, the House Ways and Means Committee advanced the Clergy Act with overwhelming bipartisan support on a 41-0 vote. In the 119th Congress, it again advanced with bipartisan support by a unanimous vote of 40-0. Today, the House of Representatives passed the Clergy Act with continued bipartisan support. The bill will now move to the Senate for consideration.