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The following are summaries, prepared by Social Security's Office of Legislation and Congressional Affairs, of legislation of the 106th Congress affecting Social Security benefits and programs. The first session of the 106th Congress convened on January 6, 1999, and adjourned on November 22, 1999. The second session convened on January 24, 2000 and adjourned on December 15, 2000.
For additional information on legislation from the 106th Congress, we suggest that you connect to THOMAS at http://thomas.loc.gov/, the source of legislative information on the Internet.
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Legislation
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Summaries of Legislation of the 106th Congress With Provisions
Affecting Social Security:
On December 21, 2000, the President signed into law H.R. 4577 (P.L. 106-554), the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2001. The law is comprised of several appropriations measures including the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2001 which funds, among other activities, the operations of the Social Security Administration.
On October 28, 2000, the President signed H.R. 3244, the "Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act of 2000," into law (P.L. 106-386).
On November 6, 2000, the President signed into law H.R. 3218, the "Social Security Number Confidentiality Act of 2000" (P.L. 106-433).
On October 30, 2000, the President signed into law H.R. 2883, the "Child Citizenship Act of 2000" (P.L. 106-395). Under the new law, certain blind and disabled children may become U.S. citizens sooner than under previous law and, thus, eligible for Supplemental Security Income sooner than they otherwise would as noncitizens.
On July 27, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 4865, the "Social Security Benefits Tax Relief Act," by a vote of 265 yeas to 159 nays.
On July 20, 2000, the House Ways and Means Committee, Subcommittee on Social Security marked up H.R. 4857, the "The Privacy and Identity Protection Act of 2000," and reported it out of the subcommittee by a unanimous vote.
On July 18, 2000 the House of Representatives passed H.R. 1264, the "Right-to-Know National Payroll Act" by voice vote with two provisions affecting Social Security.
The President signed H.R. 4425, the Military Construction FY 2001 Appropriations bill, on July 13, 2000. As enacted, the law contains three Social Security-related provisions.
On July 10, 2000, the President signed S. 1515 (P.L. 106-245) The "Radiation Exposure Compensation Act Amendments Of 2000", which has language affecting countable income in the Supplemental Security Income program.
On June 19, 2000, the House Ways and Means Committee marked up H.R. 4865, the "Social Security Benefits Tax Relief Act" which repeals the 1993 tax provision that made 85% of Social Security benefits includable in gross income and subject to income tax, for individuals with income above $34,000 and for couples with income above $44,000.
On May 26, 2000, the President signed into law H.R. 371 (P.L. 106-207) the "Hmong Veterans' Naturalization Act of 2000."
On April 7, President Clinton signed into law P.L. 106-182, the Senior Citizens' Freedom To Work Act of 2000 which eliminates the Social Security retirement earnings test in and after the month in which a person attains full retirement age--currently age 65.
On March 28, 2000, the House of Representatives agreed to the Senate amendment to H.R. 5, the "Senior Citizens' Freedom to Work Act of 2000," by a recorded vote of 419-0 and cleared the measure for transmission to the President.
On March 22, 2000, the Senate passed H.R.5, the "Senior Citizens' Freedom to Work Act of 2000," by a vote of 100-0.
On March 1, 2000, the House passed H.R.5, the "Senior Citizens' Freedom to Work Act of 2000." As passed, the bill would eliminate the Social Security retirement earnings test in and after the month in which a person attains normal retirement age.
On February 29, 2000, the House Committee On Ways And Means Marks Up H.R.5, the "Senior Citizens' Freedom To Work Act Of 2000"
On December 17, President Clinton Signs The Ticket To Work And Work Incentives Improvement Act Of 1999
On December 14, 1999, the President signed into law the Foster Care Independence Act of 1999, P.L. 106-169. The law includes provisions relating to foster care and the OASDI and SSI programs, and establishes a new title VIII of the Social Security Act for providing special cash benefits to certain World War II veterans.
On November 18, 1999 the House of Representatives passed the Ticket to Work and Work Incentives Improvement Act of 1999, by a vote of 418-2. The Senate passed the conference report, by a vote of 95-1, on November 19, 1999. The bill contains many provisions designed to assist Social Security and Supplemental Security Income beneficiaries to return to work.
On November 18, 1999, the House of Representatives passed H.R.3443, the "Foster Care Independence Act of 1999" by unanimous consent. The Senate passed H.R. 3443, also by unanimous consent, on November 19, 1999. The bill includes provisions relating to foster care and the OASDI and SSI programs, and establishes a new title VIII of the Social Security Act for providing special cash benefits to certain World War II veterans.
On October 19, 1999, the House of Representatives passed H.R.1180, the Ticket to Work and Work Incentives Improvement Act of 1999, by a vote of 412-9. On October 21, the Senate passed H.R. 1180 after amending it with the text of Senate-passed S. 331.
On June 25, 1999, the House of Representatives passed H.R.1802, the Foster Care Independence Act of 1999. The bill includes provisions relating to foster care and the Social Security and SSI programs.
On June 16, 1999, the Senate passed S. 331, the Work Incentives Improvement Act of 1999, by a vote of 99 - 0. This bill addresses barriers to work for individuals with disabilities. It would: expand the availability of health care coverage for working individuals with disabilities; establish a Ticket to Work and Self-Sufficiency Program; and provide such individuals with meaningful opportunities to work.
On May 26, 1999, the House Committee on Ways and Means marked up and approved by voice vote H.R. 1802, the Foster Care Independence Act of 1999.
On May 19, 1999, the House Committee on Commerce favorably reported, by voice vote, H.R. 1180, the subject of H.R.1180 here, as previously amended by the Subcommittee on Health and Environment.
On May 26, 1999, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 1259, the Social Security and Medicare Safe Deposit Box Act of 1999, commonly referred to as the "Social Security lockbox" by a vote of 416 to 12.
On May 20, 1999, the House Committee on Ways and Means, Subcommittee on Human Resources marked up and approved by voice vote H.R. 1802, the Foster Care Independence Act of 1999.
On March 26, 1999, the Senate Committee on Finance amended and favorably reported S. 331, the Work Incentives Improvements Act of 1999, to the full Senate. This bill addresses barriers to work for individuals with disabilities. It would: expand the availability of health care coverage for working individuals with disabilities; establish a Ticket to Work and Self-Sufficiency Program; and provide such individuals with meaningful opportunities to work.
On March 23, the House passed by voice vote H.R. 416, the Federal Retirement Coverage Corrections Act. The bill seeks to correct errors made between 1984 and 1987 when the federal government changed from the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) to the Federal Employees' Retirement System (FERS) and thousands of federal employees were placed in the wrong retirement system.
On March 2, 1999, the House of Reprentatives passed H.J.Res. 32, the Social Security Guarantee Initiative, by a vote of 416 to 1. The resolution expresses the sense of the Congress that the President and the Congress should join in undertaking the Social Security Guarantee Initiative.
On February 10, the House Committee on Ways and Means, Subcommittee on Human Resources marked up and approved by voice vote H.R. 631, the SSI Fraud Prevention Act of 1999.
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