Nine of Missouri’s members of Congress (including both U.S. senators) have co-signed a letter asking, in effect, what gives with a new interpretation of “teacher” by the IRS and the Social Security Administration.

 In a joint statement, the members asserted that “Missouri’s educators may be suffering from a one-two punch” at their retirement accounts.

  Here’s the gist:

 ”Based on a new federal ruling, some public school employees will no longer be able to pay into Missouri’s popular Public School Retirement System in lieu of Social Security – instead they will have to pay into both but receive reduced benefits….”

<span style=”..Employees at Missouri public schools have for decades participated in the Missouri’s Public School Retirement System rather than Social Security, but under the new interpretation of the term ‘teacher’, this will no longer be possible for teacher’s aides and countless other professionals working in public schools.

<span style=”As a result, individuals who have paid into the Public School Retirement System for years will now have to pay into Social Security as well, forcing them to deduct more money from each paycheck while receiving less benefits….”

 ”In a letter to the heads of the Social Security Administration and the Internal Revenue Services, the members of Congress expressed their concern, asked for the rationale for the changes, and requested more information about how it will be implemented. ”
Those signing the letter:

U.S. Sens. Claire McCaskill,  and Christopher “Kit” Bond.
U.S. Reps. Jo Ann Emerson, R-Cape Girardeau, Todd Akin,R-Town and Country, Sam Graves, R-Tarkio, William L. Clay, D-St. Louis, Russ Carnahan, D-St. Louis, Ike Skelton, D-Lexington, and Emmanuel Cleaver, D-Kansas City.

The two nonsigners: U.S. Reps. Roy Blunt, R-Strafford, and Kenny Hulshof, R-Columbia.