Social Security is a bedrock of our middle class. It’s retirement security that Ohioans pay into and earn over a lifetime of work – and should be able to count on to be there for them when they retire.

But right now, laws dating back to the 1970s and 1980s prevent almost 250,000 Ohioans from receiving the Social Security benefits they have earned through their service.

In Ohio, that means first responders like firefighters and police officers aren’t getting the Social Security they earned. They serve the public, they protect our communities and they paid into Social Security, just like everyone else.

That’s why I introduced the Social Security Fairness Act with Republican Sen. Susan Collins. Our bill would repeal the archaic statutes preventing Ohio law enforcement and other first responders from receiving the full Social Security benefits they deserve.

Working Ohioans have watched corporations receive tax cuts and Wall Street receive bailouts, while they are largely ignored by Washington. It reminds me of the pension crisis, which threatened the pensions of 100,000 Ohioans. Washington paid little attention to the issue. Ohioans put it on the agenda. They never gave up and they got it done, saving the pensions of Ohioans.

We have the same persistence and energy on this issue. Just last week, I was in Youngstown talking with first responders about it. Sen. Vance is on board too.

When you love this country, you fight for the people who make it work, and that’s what I’ll keep doing to make sure that these Ohioans have a secure retirement.

Sherrod Brown is a Democrat and the senior U.S. senator representing Ohio. His office can be reached at 202-224-2315.