Us Congress 2023-2024 Regular Session

Us Congress House Bill HB3261 Compare Versions

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Old	New	Differences
1	1	I
2	2	118THCONGRESS
3	3	1
4	4	STSESSION H. R. 3261
5	5	To improve the retirement security of United States families by strengthening
6	6	Social Security.
7	7	IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
8	8	MAY11, 2023
9	9	Ms. S
10	10	A´NCHEZ(for herself, Mr. POCAN, Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, Ms. LEEof Cali-
11	11	fornia, Mr. C
12	12	ARTWRIGHT, Ms. LOFGREN, Mr. LYNCH, Ms. PINGREE, Ms.
13	13	N
14	14	ORTON, and Mr. COHEN) introduced the following bill; which was re-
15	15	ferred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the
16	16	Committee on Education and the Workforce, for a period to be subse-
17	17	quently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such
18	18	provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
19	19	A BILL
20	20	To improve the retirement security of United States families
21	21	by strengthening Social Security.
22	22	Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-1
23	23	tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2
24	24	SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3
25	25	This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Strengthening Social 4
26	26	Security Act of 2023’’. 5
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29	29	•HR 3261 IH
30	30	SEC. 2. DETERMINATION OF TAXABLE WAGES AND SELF- 1
31	31	EMPLOYMENT INCOME ABOVE CONTRIBU-2
32	32	TION AND BENEFIT BASE AFTER 2024. 3
33	33	(a) D
34	34	ETERMINATION OF TAXABLEWAGESABOVE 4
35	35	C
36	36	ONTRIBUTION ANDBENEFITBASEAFTER2024.— 5
37	37	(1) A
38	38	MENDMENTS TO THE INTERNAL REVENUE 6
39	39	CODE OF 1986.—Section 3121 of the Internal Rev-7
40	40	enue Code of 1986 is amended— 8
41	41	(A) in subsection (a)(1), by inserting ‘‘the 9
42	42	applicable percentage (determined under sub-10
43	43	section (c)(1)) of’’ before ‘‘that part of the re-11
44	44	muneration’’; and 12
45	45	(B) in subsection (c), by striking ‘‘(c) I
46	46	N-13
47	47	CLUDED AND EXCLUDEDSERVICE.—For pur-14
48	48	poses of this chapter, if’’ and inserting the fol-15
49	49	lowing: 16
50	50	‘‘(c) S
51	51	PECIALRULES FORWAGES ANDEMPLOY-17
52	52	MENT.— 18
53	53	‘‘(1) A
54	54	PPLICABLE PERCENTAGE OF REMUNERA -19
55	55	TION IN DETERMINING TAXABLE WAGES .—For pur-20
56	56	poses of subsection (a)(1), the applicable percentage 21
57	57	for a calendar year shall be equal to— 22
58	58	‘‘(A) for 2025, 80 percent, 23
59	59	‘‘(B) for 2026 through 2028, the applica-24
60	60	ble percentage under this paragraph for the 25
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63	63	•HR 3261 IH
64	64	previous year, decreased by 20 percentage 1
65	65	points, and 2
66	66	‘‘(C) for 2029 and each year thereafter, 0 3
67	67	percent. 4
68	68	‘‘(2) I
69	69	NCLUDED AND EXCLUDED SERVICE .—For 5
70	70	purposes of this chapter, if’’. 6
71	71	(2) A
72	72	MENDMENTS TO THE SOCIAL SECURITY 7
73	73	ACT.—Section 209 of the Social Security Act (42 8
74	74	U.S.C. 409) is amended— 9
75	75	(A) in subsection (a)(1)(I)— 10
76	76	(i) by inserting ‘‘and before 2025’’ 11
77	77	after ‘‘1974’’; and 12
78	78	(ii) by inserting ‘‘and’’ after the semi-13
79	79	colon; 14
80	80	(B) in subsection (a)(1), by adding at the 15
81	81	end the following new subparagraph: 16
82	82	‘‘(J) The applicable percentage (deter-17
83	83	mined under subsection (l)) of that part of re-18
84	84	muneration which, after remuneration (other 19
85	85	than remuneration referred to in the succeeding 20
86	86	subsections of this section) equal to the con-21
87	87	tribution and benefit base (determined under 22
88	88	section 230) with respect to employment has 23
89	89	been paid to an individual during any calendar 24
90	90	year after 2024 with respect to which such con-25
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93	93	•HR 3261 IH
94	94	tribution and benefit base is effective, is paid to 1
95	95	such individual during such calendar year;’’; 2
96	96	and 3
97	97	(C) by adding at the end the following new 4
98	98	subsection: 5
99	99	‘‘(l) For purposes of subsection (a)(1)(J), the applica-6
100	100	ble percentage for a calendar year shall be equal to— 7
101	101	‘‘(1) for 2025, 80 percent, 8
102	102	‘‘(2) for 2026 through 2028, the applicable per-9
103	103	centage under this subsection for the previous year, 10
104	104	decreased by 20 percentage points, and 11
105	105	‘‘(3) for 2029 and each year thereafter, 0 per-12
106	106	cent.’’. 13
107	107	(3) E
108	108	FFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made 14
109	109	by this subsection shall apply with respect to remu-15
110	110	neration paid in calendar years after 2024. 16
111	111	(b) D
112	112	ETERMINATION OF TAXABLESELF-EMPLOY-17
113	113	MENTINCOMEABOVECONTRIBUTION AND BENEFIT 18
114	114	B
115	115	ASEAFTER2024.— 19
116	116	(1) A
117	117	MENDMENTS TO THE INTERNAL REVENUE 20
118	118	CODE OF 1986.—Section 1402 of the Internal Rev-21
119	119	enue Code of 1986 is amended— 22
120	120	(A) in subsection (b)(1), by striking ‘‘that 23
121	121	part of the net earnings’’ and all that follows 24
122	122	through ‘‘minus’’ and inserting the following: 25
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125	125	•HR 3261 IH
126	126	‘‘an amount equal to the applicable percentage 1
127	127	(as determined under subsection (d)(2)) of that 2
128	128	part of the net earnings from self-employment 3
129	129	which is in excess of the difference (not to be 4
130	130	less than 0) between (i) an amount equal to the 5
131	131	contribution and benefit base (as determined 6
132	132	under section 230 of the Social Security Act) 7
133	133	which is effective for the calendar year in which 8
134	134	such taxable year begins, and’’; and 9
135	135	(B) in subsection (d)— 10
136	136	(i) by striking ‘‘(d) E
137	137	MPLOYEE AND 11
138	138	W
139	139	AGES.—The term’’ and inserting the fol-12
140	140	lowing: 13
141	141	‘‘(d) R
142	142	ULES ANDDEFINITIONS.— 14
143	143	‘‘(1) E
144	144	MPLOYEE AND WAGES .—The term’’; and 15
145	145	(ii) by adding at the end the fol-16
146	146	lowing: 17
147	147	‘‘(2) A
148	148	PPLICABLE PERCENTAGE OF NET EARN -18
149	149	INGS FROM SELF -EMPLOYMENT IN DETERMINING 19
150	150	TAXABLE SELF-EMPLOYMENT INCOME .—For pur-20
151	151	poses of subsection (b)(1), the applicable percentage 21
152	152	for a taxable year beginning in any calendar year re-22
153	153	ferred to in such paragraph shall be equal to— 23
154	154	‘‘(A) for 2025, 80 percent, 24
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157	157	•HR 3261 IH
158	158	‘‘(B) for 2026 through 2028, the applica-1
159	159	ble percentage under this paragraph for the 2
160	160	previous year, decreased by 20 percentage 3
161	161	points, and 4
162	162	‘‘(C) for 2029 and each year thereafter, 0 5
163	163	percent.’’. 6
164	164	(2) A
165	165	MENDMENTS TO THE SOCIAL SECURITY 7
166	166	ACT.—Section 211 of the Social Security Act (42 8
167	167	U.S.C. 411) is amended— 9
168	168	(A) in subsection (b)— 10
169	169	(i) in paragraph (1)(I)— 11
170	170	(I) by striking ‘‘or’’ after the 12
171	171	semicolon; and 13
172	172	(II) by inserting ‘‘and before 14
173	173	2025’’ after ‘‘1974’’; 15
174	174	(ii) by redesignating paragraph (2) as 16
175	175	paragraph (3); and 17
176	176	(iii) by inserting after paragraph (1) 18
177	177	the following: 19
178	178	‘‘(2) For any taxable year beginning in any cal-20
179	179	endar year after 2024, an amount equal to the appli-21
180	180	cable percentage (as determined under subsection 22
181	181	(l)) of that part of net earnings from self-employ-23
182	182	ment which is in excess of the difference (not to be 24
183	183	less than 0) between— 25
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186	186	•HR 3261 IH
187	187	‘‘(A) an amount equal to the contribution 1
188	188	and benefit base (as determined under section 2
189	189	230) that is effective for such calendar year, 3
190	190	and 4
191	191	‘‘(B) the amount of the wages paid to such 5
192	192	individual during such taxable year, or’’; and 6
193	193	(B) by adding at the end the following: 7
194	194	‘‘(l) For purposes of subsection (b)(2), the applicable 8
195	195	percentage for a taxable year beginning in any calendar 9
196	196	year referred to in such paragraph shall be equal to— 10
197	197	‘‘(1) for 2025, 80 percent, 11
198	198	‘‘(2) for 2026 through 2028, the applicable per-12
199	199	centage under this subsection for the previous year, 13
200	200	decreased by 20 percentage points, and 14
201	201	‘‘(3) for 2029 and each year thereafter, 0 per-15
202	202	cent.’’. 16
203	203	(3) E
204	204	FFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made 17
205	205	by this subsection shall apply with respect to taxable 18
206	206	years beginning during or after calendar year 2025. 19
207	207	SEC. 3. ADJUSTMENTS TO BEND POINTS IN DETERMINING 20
208	208	PRIMARY INSURANCE AMOUNT AND INCLU-21
209	209	SION OF SURPLUS EARNINGS FOR BENEFIT 22
210	210	DETERMINATIONS. 23
211	211	(a) A
212	212	DJUSTMENTS RELATING TO FIRSTBEND 24
213	213	P
214	214	OINT.— 25
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217	217	•HR 3261 IH
218	218	(1) INCREASE IN FIRST BEND POINT FACTOR .— 1
219	219	(A) I
220	220	N GENERAL.—Section 215(a)(1)(A)(i) 2
221	221	of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 3
222	222	415(a)(1)(A)(i)) is amended by striking ‘‘90 4
223	223	percent’’ and inserting ‘‘95 percent’’. 5
224	224	(B) E
225	225	FFECTIVE DATE ; APPLICATION 6
226	226	RULE.—The amendment made by subparagraph 7
227	227	(A) shall apply with respect to computations or 8
228	228	recomputations of primary insurance amounts 9
229	229	made on or after January 1, 2029, except that 10
230	230	section 215(a)(1)(A)(i) of the Social Security 11
231	231	Act shall be applied by making the following 12
232	232	substitutions for ‘‘95 percent’’ for computations 13
233	233	and recomputations made in the following cal-14
234	234	endar years: 15
235	235	(i) For calendar year 2029, by sub-16
236	236	stituting ‘‘91 percent’’. 17
237	237	(ii) For calendar year 2030, by sub-18
238	238	stituting ‘‘92 percent’’. 19
239	239	(iii) For calendar year 2031, by sub-20
240	240	stituting ‘‘93 percent’’. 21
241	241	(iv) For calendar year 2032, by sub-22
242	242	stituting ‘‘94 percent’’. 23
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245	245	•HR 3261 IH
246	246	(2) INCREASE IN FIRST BEND POINT .—Section 1
247	247	215(a)(1)(B) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 415(a)(1)(B)) 2
248	248	is amended— 3
249	249	(A) by redesignating clause (iii) as clause 4
250	250	(iv); and 5
251	251	(B) by inserting after clause (ii) the fol-6
252	252	lowing new clause: 7
253	253	‘‘(iii) With respect to computations or recompu-8
254	254	tations of primary insurance amounts made on or 9
255	255	after January 1, 2029, the amount determined 10
256	256	under clause (i) of this subparagraph for purposes 11
257	257	of subparagraph (A)(i) for such calendar year shall 12
258	258	be increased by— 13
259	259	‘‘(I) for calendar year 2030, 1 percent, 14
260	260	‘‘(II) for each of calendar years 2031 15
261	261	through 2043, the percent determined under 16
262	262	this clause for the preceding year increased by 17
263	263	1 percentage point, and 18
264	264	‘‘(III) for calendar year 2044 and each 19
265	265	year thereafter, 15 percent.’’. 20
266	266	(3) A
267	267	PPLICATION OF INCREASE ; RECOMPUTA-21
268	268	TIONS.—The amendments made by this subsection 22
269	269	shall apply with respect to every individual who be-23
270	270	comes entitled to old-age or disability insurance ben-24
271	271	efits under title II of the Social Security Act, or who 25
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274	274	•HR 3261 IH
275	275	dies (before becoming so entitled), in any calendar 1
276	276	year. Notwithstanding section 215(f)(1) of the Social 2
277	277	Security Act, the Commissioner of Social Security 3
278	278	shall recompute the primary insurance amount of 4
279	279	each such individual on the first day of each cal-5
280	280	endar year during the period beginning with cal-6
281	281	endar year 2029 and ending with calendar year 7
282	282	2044 to the extent necessary to carry out the 8
283	283	amendments made by this section. 9
284	284	(b) I
285	285	NCLUSION OF SURPLUSAVERAGEINDEXED 10
286	286	M
287	287	ONTHLYEARNINGS INDETERMINATION OF PRIMARY 11
288	288	I
289	289	NSURANCEAMOUNTS.—Section 215(a)(1)(A) of the So-12
290	290	cial Security Act (42 U.S.C. 415(a)(1)(A)) is amended— 13
291	291	(1) in clauses (i), (ii), and (iii), by inserting 14
292	292	‘‘basic’’ before ‘‘average indexed monthly earnings’’ 15
293	293	each place it appears; 16
294	294	(2) in clause (ii), by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end; 17
295	295	(3) in clause (iii), by adding ‘‘and’’ at the end; 18
296	296	and 19
297	297	(4) by inserting after clause (iii) the following 20
298	298	new clause: 21
299	299	‘‘(iv) 5 percent of the individual’s surplus aver-22
300	300	age indexed monthly earnings,’’. 23
301	301	(c) B
302	302	ASICAIME ANDSURPLUSAIME.— 24
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305	305	•HR 3261 IH
306	306	(1) BASIC AIME.—Section 215(b)(1) of such 1
307	307	Act (42 U.S.C. 415(b)(1)) is amended— 2
308	308	(A) by inserting ‘‘basic’’ before ‘‘average’’; 3
309	309	and 4
310	310	(B) in subparagraph (A), by striking 5
311	311	‘‘paragraph (3)’’ and inserting ‘‘paragraph 6
312	312	(3)(A)’’ and by inserting before the comma the 7
313	313	following: ‘‘to the extent such total does not ex-8
314	314	ceed the contribution and benefit base for the 9
315	315	applicable year’’. 10
316	316	(2) S
317	317	URPLUS AIME.— 11
318	318	(A) I
319	319	N GENERAL.—Section 215(b)(1) of 12
320	320	such Act (as amended by paragraph (1)) is 13
321	321	amended— 14
322	322	(i) by redesignating subparagraphs 15
323	323	(A) and (B) as clauses (i) and (ii), respec-16
324	324	tively; 17
325	325	(ii) by inserting ‘‘(A)’’ after ‘‘(b)(1)’’; 18
326	326	and 19
327	327	(iii) by adding at the end the fol-20
328	328	lowing new subparagraph: 21
329	329	‘‘(B)(i) An individual’s surplus average indexed 22
330	330	monthly earnings shall be equal to the quotient obtained 23
331	331	by dividing— 24
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335	335	‘‘(I) the total (after adjustment under para-1
336	336	graph (3)(B)) of such individual’s surplus earnings 2
337	337	(determined under clause (ii)) for such individual’s 3
338	338	benefit computation years (determined under para-4
339	339	graph (2)), by 5
340	340	‘‘(II) the number of months in those years. 6
341	341	‘‘(ii) For purposes of clause (i) and paragraph (3)(B), 7
342	342	an individual’s surplus earnings for a benefit computation 8
343	343	year are the total of such individual’s wages paid in and 9
344	344	self-employment income credited to such benefit computa-10
345	345	tion year, to the extent such total (before adjustment 11
346	346	under paragraph (3)(B)) exceeds the contribution and 12
347	347	benefit base for such year.’’. 13
348	348	(B) C
349	349	ONFORMING AMENDMENT .—The 14
350	350	heading for section 215(b) of such Act is 15
351	351	amended by striking ‘‘Average Indexed Monthly 16
352	352	Earnings’’ and inserting ‘‘Basic Average In-17
353	353	dexed Monthly Earnings; Surplus Average In-18
354	354	dexed Monthly Earnings’’. 19
355	355	(3) A
356	356	DJUSTMENT OF SURPLUS EARNINGS FOR 20
357	357	PURPOSES OF DETERMINING SURPLUS AIME .—Sec-21
358	358	tion 215(b)(3) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 415(b)(3)) is 22
359	359	amended— 23
360	360	(A) in subparagraph (A), by striking ‘‘sub-24
361	361	paragraph (B)’’ and inserting ‘‘subparagraph 25
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364	364	•HR 3261 IH
365	365	(C)’’ and by inserting ‘‘and determination of 1
366	366	basic average indexed monthly income’’ after 2
367	367	‘‘paragraph (2)’’; 3
368	368	(B) by redesignating subparagraph (B) as 4
369	369	subparagraph (C); and 5
370	370	(C) by inserting after subparagraph (A) 6
371	371	the following new subparagraph: 7
372	372	‘‘(B) For purposes of determining under paragraph 8
373	373	(1)(B) an individual’s surplus average indexed monthly 9
374	374	earnings, the individual’s surplus earnings (described in 10
375	375	paragraph (2)(B)(ii)) for a benefit computation year shall 11
376	376	be deemed to be equal to the product of— 12
377	377	‘‘(i) the individual’s surplus earnings for such 13
378	378	year (as determined without regard to this subpara-14
379	379	graph), and 15
380	380	‘‘(ii) the quotient described in subparagraph 16
381	381	(A)(ii).’’. 17
382	382	(d) E
383	383	FFECTIVEDATE.—The amendments made by 18
384	384	subsections (b) and (c) shall apply with respect to individ-19
385	385	uals who initially become eligible (within the meaning of 20
386	386	section 215(a)(3)(B) of the Social Security Act) for old- 21
387	387	age or disability insurance benefits under title II of the 22
388	388	Social Security Act, or who die (before becoming eligible 23
389	389	for such benefits), in any calendar year after 2029. 24
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393	393	SEC. 4. CONSUMER PRICE INDEX FOR ELDERLY CON-1
394	394	SUMERS. 2
395	395	(a) I
396	396	NGENERAL.—The Bureau of Labor Statistics 3
397	397	of the Department of Labor shall prepare and publish an 4
398	398	index for each calendar month to be known as the ‘‘Con-5
399	399	sumer Price Index for Elderly Consumers’’ that indicates 6
400	400	changes over time in expenditures for consumption which 7
401	401	are typical for individuals in the United States who have 8
402	402	attained early retirement age (as defined under section 9
403	403	216(l)(2) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 416(l)(2)) 10
404	404	for purposes of an old-age, wife’s, or husband’s insurance 11
405	405	benefit). 12
406	406	(b) E
407	407	FFECTIVEDATE.—Subsection (a) shall apply 13
408	408	with respect to calendar months ending on or after June 14
409	409	30 of the calendar year in which this Act is enacted. 15
410	410	(c) A
411	411	UTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 16
412	412	are authorized to be appropriated such sums as are nec-17
413	413	essary to carry out the provisions of this section. 18
414	414	SEC. 5. COMPUTATION OF COST-OF-LIVING INCREASES FOR 19
415	415	SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS. 20
416	416	(a) I
417	417	NGENERAL.—Section 215(i) of the Social Secu-21
418	418	rity Act (42 U.S.C. 415(i)) is amended— 22
419	419	(1) in paragraph (1)(G), by inserting before the 23
420	420	period the following: ‘‘, and, with respect to any 24
421	421	monthly insurance benefit payable under this title, 25
422	422	effective for adjustments under this subsection to 26
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425	425	•HR 3261 IH
426	426	the primary insurance amount on which such benefit 1
427	427	is based (or to any such benefit under section 227 2
428	428	or 228), the applicable Consumer Price Index shall 3
429	429	be deemed to be the Consumer Price Index for El-4
430	430	derly Consumers and such primary insurance 5
431	431	amount shall be deemed adjusted under this sub-6
432	432	section using such Index’’; and 7
433	433	(2) in paragraph (4), by striking ‘‘and by sec-8
434	434	tion 9001’’ and inserting ‘‘, by section 9001’’, and 9
435	435	by inserting after ‘‘1986,’’ the following: ‘‘and by 10
436	436	section 5(a) of the Strengthening Social Security Act 11
437	437	of 2023,’’. 12
438	438	(b) C
439	439	ONFORMING AMENDMENTS IN APPLICABLE 13
440	440	F
441	441	ORMERLAW.—Section 215(i)(1)(C) of the Social Secu-14
442	442	rity Act, as in effect in December 1978 and applied in 15
443	443	certain cases under the provisions of such Act in effect 16
444	444	after December 1978, is amended by inserting before the 17
445	445	period the following: ‘‘, and, with respect to any monthly 18
446	446	insurance benefit payable under this title, effective for ad-19
447	447	justments under this subsection to the primary insurance 20
448	448	amount on which such benefit is based (or to any such 21
449	449	benefit under section 227 or 228), the applicable Con-22
450	450	sumer Price Index shall be deemed to be the Consumer 23
451	451	Price Index for Elderly Consumers and such primary in-24
452	452	VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:26 May 25, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00015 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H3261.IH H3261
453	453	kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 16
454	454	•HR 3261 IH
455	455	surance amount shall be deemed adjusted under this sub-1
456	456	section using such Index’’. 2
457	457	(c) E
458	458	FFECTIVEDATE.—The amendments made by 3
459	459	this section shall apply to determinations made by the 4
460	460	Commissioner of Social Security under section 215(i)(2) 5
461	461	of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 415(i)(2)) with re-6
462	462	spect to cost-of-living computation quarters ending on or 7
463	463	after September 30, 2024. 8
464	464	SEC. 6. IMPROVING SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS FOR WID-9
465	465	OWS AND WIDOWERS IN TWO-INCOME HOUSE-10
466	466	HOLDS. 11
467	467	(a) I
468	468	NGENERAL.— 12
469	469	(1) W
470	470	IDOWS.—Section 202(e) of the Social Se-13
471	471	curity Act (42 U.S.C. 402(e)) is amended— 14
472	472	(A) in paragraph (1)— 15
473	473	(i) in subparagraph (B), by inserting 16
474	474	‘‘and’’ at the end; 17
475	475	(ii) in subparagraph (C)(iii), by strik-18
476	476	ing ‘‘and’’ at the end; 19
477	477	(iii) by striking subparagraph (D); 20
478	478	(iv) by redesignating subparagraphs 21
479	479	(E) and (F) as subparagraphs (D) and 22
480	480	(E), respectively; and 23
481	481	(v) in the flush matter following sub-24
482	482	paragraph (E)(ii), as so redesignated, by 25
483	483	VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:26 May 25, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00016 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H3261.IH H3261
484	484	kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 17
485	485	•HR 3261 IH
486	486	striking ‘‘or becomes entitled to an old-age 1
487	487	insurance benefit’’ and all that follows 2
488	488	through ‘‘such deceased individual,’’; 3
489	489	(B) by striking subparagraph (A) in para-4
490	490	graph (2) and inserting the following: 5
491	491	‘‘(2)(A) Except as provided in subsection 6
492	492	(k)(5), subsection (q), and subparagraph (D) of this 7
493	493	paragraph, such widow’s insurance benefit for each 8
494	494	month shall be equal to the greater of— 9
495	495	‘‘(i) subject to paragraph (9), the primary 10
496	496	insurance amount (as determined for purposes 11
497	497	of this subsection after application of subpara-12
498	498	graphs (B) and (C)) of such deceased indi-13
499	499	vidual, or 14
500	500	‘‘(ii) subject to paragraphs (9) and (10), in 15
501	501	the case of a fully insured widow or surviving 16
502	502	divorced wife, 75 percent of the sum of any old- 17
503	503	age or disability insurance benefit for which the 18
504	504	widow or the surviving divorced wife is entitled 19
505	505	for such month and the primary insurance 20
506	506	amount (as determined for purposes of this 21
507	507	subsection after application of subparagraphs 22
508	508	(B) and (C)) of such deceased individual.’’; 23
509	509	(C) in paragraph (5)— 24
510	510	VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:26 May 25, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00017 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H3261.IH H3261
511	511	kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 18
512	512	•HR 3261 IH
513	513	(i) in subparagraph (A), by striking 1
514	514	‘‘paragraph (1)(F)’’ and inserting ‘‘para-2
515	515	graph (1)(E)’’; and 3
516	516	(ii) in subparagraph (B), by striking 4
517	517	‘‘paragraph (1)(F)(i)’’ and inserting 5
518	518	‘‘paragraph (1)(E)(i)’’; and 6
519	519	(D) by adding at the end the following new 7
520	520	paragraphs: 8
521	521	‘‘(9) For purposes of clauses (i) and (ii) of 9
522	522	paragraph (2)(A), in the case of a surviving divorced 10
523	523	wife, the amount determined under either such 11
524	524	clause (and, for purposes of clause (ii) of paragraph 12
525	525	(2)(A), as determined after application of paragraph 13
526	526	(10)) shall be equal to the applicable percentage (as 14
527	527	determined under section 202(b)(2)(B)) of such 15
528	528	amount (as determined before application of this 16
529	529	paragraph but after application of subsection 17
530	530	(k)(3)). 18
531	531	‘‘(10) For purposes of paragraph (2)(A)(ii), the 19
532	532	amount determined under such paragraph shall not 20
533	533	exceed the primary insurance amount for such 21
534	534	month of a hypothetical individual— 22
535	535	‘‘(A) who became entitled to old-age insur-23
536	536	ance benefits upon attaining early retirement 24
537	537	age during the month in which the deceased in-25
538	538	VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:26 May 25, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00018 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H3261.IH H3261
539	539	kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 19
540	540	•HR 3261 IH
541	541	dividual referred to in paragraph (1) became 1
542	542	entitled to old-age or disability insurance bene-2
543	543	fits, or died (before becoming entitled to such 3
544	544	benefits), and 4
545	545	‘‘(B) to whom wages and self-employment 5
546	546	income were credited in each of such hypo-6
547	547	thetical individual’s elapsed years (within the 7
548	548	meaning of section 215(b)(2)(B)(iii)) in an 8
549	549	amount equal to the national average wage 9
550	550	index (as described in section 209(k)(1)) for 10
551	551	each such year.’’. 11
552	552	(2) W
553	553	IDOWERS.—Section 202(f) of the Social 12
554	554	Security Act (42 U.S.C. 402(f)) is amended— 13
555	555	(A) in paragraph (1)— 14
556	556	(i) in subparagraph (B), by inserting 15
557	557	‘‘and’’ at the end; 16
558	558	(ii) in subparagraph (C)(iii), by strik-17
559	559	ing ‘‘and’’ at the end; 18
560	560	(iii) by striking subparagraph (D); 19
561	561	(iv) by redesignating subparagraphs 20
562	562	(E) and (F) as subparagraphs (D) and 21
563	563	(E), respectively; and 22
564	564	(v) in the flush matter following sub-23
565	565	paragraph (E)(ii), as so redesignated, by 24
566	566	striking ‘‘or becomes entitled to an old-age 25
567	567	VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:26 May 25, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00019 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H3261.IH H3261
568	568	kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 20
569	569	•HR 3261 IH
570	570	insurance benefit’’ and all that follows 1
571	571	through ‘‘such deceased individual,’’; 2
572	572	(B) by striking subparagraph (A) in para-3
573	573	graph (2) and inserting the following: 4
574	574	‘‘(2)(A) Except as provided in subsection 5
575	575	(k)(5), subsection (q), and subparagraph (D) of this 6
576	576	paragraph, such widower’s insurance benefit for 7
577	577	each month shall be equal to the greater of— 8
578	578	‘‘(i) subject to paragraph (9), the primary 9
579	579	insurance amount (as determined for purposes 10
580	580	of this subsection after application of subpara-11
581	581	graphs (B) and (C)) of such deceased indi-12
582	582	vidual, or 13
583	583	‘‘(ii) subject to paragraphs (9) and (10), in 14
584	584	the case of a fully insured widower or surviving 15
585	585	divorced husband, 75 percent of the sum of any 16
586	586	old-age or disability insurance benefit for which 17
587	587	the widower or the surviving divorced husband 18
588	588	is entitled for such month and the primary in-19
589	589	surance amount (as determined for purposes of 20
590	590	this subsection after application of subpara-21
591	591	graphs (B) and (C)) of such deceased indi-22
592	592	vidual.’’; 23
593	593	(C) in paragraph (5)— 24
594	594	VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:26 May 25, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00020 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H3261.IH H3261
595	595	kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 21
596	596	•HR 3261 IH
597	597	(i) in subparagraph (A), by striking 1
598	598	‘‘paragraph (1)(F)’’ and inserting ‘‘para-2
599	599	graph (1)(E)’’; and 3
600	600	(ii) in subparagraph (B), by striking 4
601	601	‘‘paragraph (1)(F)(i)’’ and inserting 5
602	602	‘‘paragraph (1)(E)(i)’’; and 6
603	603	(D) by adding at the end the following new 7
604	604	paragraphs: 8
605	605	‘‘(9) For purposes of clauses (i) and (ii) of 9
606	606	paragraph (2)(A), in the case of a surviving divorced 10
607	607	husband, the amount determined under either such 11
608	608	clause (and, for purposes of clause (ii) of paragraph 12
609	609	(2)(A), as determined after application of paragraph 13
610	610	(10)) shall be equal to the applicable percentage (as 14
611	611	determined under section 202(c)(2)(B)) of such 15
612	612	amount (as determined before application of this 16
613	613	paragraph but after application of subsection 17
614	614	(k)(3)). 18
615	615	‘‘(10) For purposes of paragraph (2)(A)(ii), the 19
616	616	amount determined under such paragraph shall not 20
617	617	exceed the primary insurance amount for such 21
618	618	month of a hypothetical individual— 22
619	619	‘‘(A) who became entitled to old-age insur-23
620	620	ance benefits upon attaining early retirement 24
621	621	age during the month in which the deceased in-25
622	622	VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:26 May 25, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00021 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H3261.IH H3261
623	623	kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 22
624	624	•HR 3261 IH
625	625	dividual referred to in paragraph (1) became 1
626	626	entitled to old-age or disability insurance bene-2
627	627	fits, or died (before becoming entitled to such 3
628	628	benefits), and 4
629	629	‘‘(B) to whom wages and self-employment 5
630	630	income were credited in each of such hypo-6
631	631	thetical individual’s elapsed years (within the 7
632	632	meaning of section 215(b)(2)(B)(iii)) in an 8
633	633	amount equal to the national average wage 9
634	634	index (as described in section 209(k)(1)) for 10
635	635	each such year.’’. 11
636	636	(b) E
637	637	FFECTIVEDATE.—The amendments made by 12
638	638	this section shall apply with respect to widow’s and wid-13
639	639	ower’s insurance benefits payable for months after Decem-14
640	640	ber 2024. 15
641	641	SEC. 7. HOLDING SSI BENEFICIARIES HARMLESS. 16
642	642	For purposes of determining the income of an indi-17
643	643	vidual to establish eligibility for, and the amount of, bene-18
644	644	fits payable under title XVI of the Social Security Act, 19
645	645	the amount of any benefit to which the individual is enti-20
646	646	tled under title II of such Act shall be deemed not to ex-21
647	647	ceed the amount of the benefit that would be determined 22
648	648	for such individual under such title as in effect on the day 23
649	649	before the date of the enactment of this Act. 24
650	650	Æ
651	651	VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:26 May 25, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00022 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\H3261.IH H3261
652	652	kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS