Social Security

Summaries of Legislation of the 105th Congress With Provisions Affecting Social Security:

• P.L. 105-369, (HR 1023), the Ricky Ray Hemophilia Relief Fund Act of 1998, was enacted on November 12, 1998.  The law prohibits payments made under the act from counting as income or resources for purposes of SSI or Medicaid.

• PL 105-379, (S. 1733), State Agencies Ensurance that Food Stamp Coupons Are Not Issued to Deceased Individuals Requirement, was enacted on November 12, 1998.

• P.L. 105-318, (H.R. 4151), the Identity Theft and Assumption Deterrence Act of 1998, was enacted on October 30, 1998. Among other things, the law directs the Federal Trade Commission to establish procedures to receive complaints, provide information to victims, and refer complaints to appropriate agencies, including law enforcement agencies. 

• PL 105-306, (HR 4558), the Noncitizen Benefit Clarification and Other Technical Amendments Act of 1998, was signed into law on October 28, 1998. [refer to LB 105-15]  Descriptions of the SSA-related provisions may be found in previous actions.
  Previous actions: 09/24/98; 09/22/98

• PL 105-285, (S. 2206), the Human Services Reauthorization Act of 1998, was signed into law by the President on October 27, 1998. Among other things, the law created a demonstration under which low income individuals including SSI recipients could establish dedicated savings accounts for certain purposes.

• PL 105-277, (HR 4328), the Omnibus Consolidated and Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act of 1999, was signed into law on October 21, 1998.  

• On September 25, 1998, the House passed HR 4578, the Save Social Security Act of 1998; the House also passed HR 4579, the Taxpayer Relief Act of 1998.  The Rule providing for consideration of the two bills included provision that when both bills have passed the House, the text of HR 4578 was to be added to the text of HR 4579. HR 4579 was placed on the Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders on October 29, 1998. No further action was taken on the bill.

• On June 4, 1998, the House passed HR 3433, the Ticket to Work and Self Sufficiency Act of 1998. [refer to LB 105-11]; The bill would direct the COSS to establish a program under which a disabled beneficiary could use a ‘ticket’ to obtain employment services, vocational rehabilitation services, or other support services from an employment network of the beneficiary’s choice.  HR 3433 was placed on the Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders on June 9, 1998. No further action was taken on the bill.

• On April 29, 1998,  the House passed HR 3546, a bill to establish a bi-partisan panel to design long-range Social Security reform for restoring solvency to the Social Security system. HR 3546 was received in the Senate and referred to the Committee on Finance on April 30, 1998.  No further action was taken on the bill.

• On March 12, 1998, the House passed HR 2883, the Government Performance and Results Act Technical Amendments of 1998. HR 2883 was received in the Senate and referred to the Committee on Governmental Affairs on March 12, 1998.  No further action was taken on the bill.

• On February 25, 1998, the House passed HR 1544, the Federal Agency Compliance Act. The bill would require agencies, in most cases, to follow appellate court rulings when administering policies or regulations and to stop  adopting  non-acquiescence policies.  HR 1544 was received in the Senate and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary on February 26, 1998. No further action was taken on the bill.

• PL 105-34, (HR 2014), the Revenue Reconciliation Act of 1997, was enacted into law on August 5, 1997.  On July 31, 1997, the House and Senate passed the conference accompanying HR 2014. 

• PL 105-33, (HR 2015), the Balanced Budget Act of 1997, was enacted into law on August 5, 1997. On July 30, 1997, the House passed the conference report accompanying HR 2015, and on July 31, 1997, the Senate passed HR 2015.  Among other things, the law made numerous SSI eligibility changes to noncitizens, children, drug addicts and alcoholics.

• P.L.105-18, (HR 1871), the 1997 Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act for Recovery from Natural Disasters, and Overseas Peacekeeping Efforts, Including Those in Bosnia [refer to LB 105-5] was enacted into law on June 12, 1997.  The law provided a one-month extension of SSI eligibility for certain noncitizens by changing the date that noncitizen redeterminations have to be completed.
  Previous actions: 5/15/97, 5/8/97

• On June 10, 1997, the House Ways and Means Committee reported its recommendations to the House Budget Committee for inclusion in an omnibus budget bill. [refer to LB 105-4].  The recommendations included welfare reform provisions for SSI and noncitizens, State Supplementary Payments, and disabled children.  The SSI noncitizens provisions would be effective as if enacted in the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA).  Description of PRWORA may be found in previous actions.
  Previous action: 8/22/1996 [refer to LB 104-32]

• On April 29, 1997, the House passed the HR 1048, the Welfare Reform Technical Corrections Act of 1997. On April 30, 1997, the bill was referred to the Senate Finance Committee. No further action was taken on the bill.