The Social Security Protection Act of 2003 (H.R. 743)

Publication Date: December 2003

Publisher: Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

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Research Area: Banking and finance

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Abstract:

On December 9, 2003, the Senate passed H.R. 743, the Social Security Protection Act of 2003, with an amendment, by Unanimous Consent. Earlier this year, the House of Representatives passed a somewhat different version of H.R. 743 by a vote of 396-28. The bipartisan measure would impose stricter standards on individuals and organizations that serve as representative payees for Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) recipients; make non-governmental representative payees liable for "misused" funds and subject them to civil monetary penalties; tighten restrictions on attorneys who represent Social Security and SSI disability claimants; limit assessments on attorney fee payments; prohibit fugitive felons from receiving Social Security benefits; and modify the "last day rule" under the Government Pension Offset (GPO). The Senate-passed measure contains several provisions that are not included in the House-passed version of the bill. For example, the Senate measure would require noncitizens to have authorization to work in the U.S. at the time a Social Security Number is assigned, or at some later time, to gain insured status under the Social Security program, with some exceptions. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates that H.R. 743, as passed by the House, would result in net savings of $655 million over the 2004-2013 period. A preliminary CBO estimate shows that the version of the bill passed by the Senate would reduce direct spending by $765 million and increase revenues by $26 million over the period (estimates do not include the potential effects on discretionary spending). H.R. 743 must be reconsidered in the House and signed by the President before it becomes law.