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

Publication Date: April 2003

Publisher: Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

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Research Area: Banking and finance

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Abstract:

On April 2, 2003, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 743 (the Social Security Protection Act of 2003, H.Rept. 108-46), as amended, by a vote of 396-28. A substitute amendment offered by Rep. Green of Texas was defeated by a 196-228 vote. One month earlier, H.R. 743 was considered by the House under suspension of the rules, and it failed to receive the two-thirds majority vote required for passage. H.R. 743 closely resembles H.R. 4070 from the 107th Congress. H.R. 4070, which passed the House unanimously and the Senate with amendment under unanimous consent, did not receive final passage before the 107th Congress adjourned.

H.R. 743 is a bipartisan measure that would impose stricter standards on individuals and organizations serving 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 representing Social Security and SSI disability claimants; limit assessments on attorney fee payments; prohibit fugitive felons from receiving Social Security benefits; modify the "last day rule" under the Government Pension Offset; and make other changes designed to reduce Social Security fraud and abuse. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that the measure would result in net savings of $655 million over 10 years. This report will be updated as legislative activity occurs.