H.R. 7228

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7228 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 7228

To amend title VII of the Social Security Act to improve the Social 
Security Administration's procedures to close or reduce access to field 
offices, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

January 22, 2026

Ms. Moore of Wisconsin (for herself, Ms. Johnson of Texas, and Ms. 
Norton) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Ways and Means

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To amend title VII of the Social Security Act to improve the Social 
Security Administration's procedures to close or reduce access to field 
offices, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Maintain Access to Vital Social 
Security Services Act of 2026''.

SEC. 2. FIELD OFFICES.

(a) In General.--Title VII of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 
701 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:

``SEC. 714. FIELD OFFICES.

``(a) In General.--
``(1) Number of field offices and personnel.--The 
Commissioner shall operate a sufficient number of field offices 
and employ an sufficient number of personnel at each field 
office to--
``(A) provide comprehensive, convenient, and 
accessible services to the public;
``(B) meet current and projected workloads, 
including consideration of anticipated workload or 
population changes identified through a service area 
review; and
``(C) maintain posted public operating hours to the 
maximum extent possible and minimize wait-times at each 
field office, including for those without appointments.
``(2) Minimum requirement.--Notwithstanding paragraph (1), 
the Commissioner take such actions as are necessary to ensure 
that the number of personnel assigned to field offices is not 
less than the number so assigned on January 1, 2025.
``(b) Procedure To Close or Reduce Access to a Field Office.--
``(1) In general.--
``(A) Requirement to follow procedure.--The 
Commissioner may not take any action described in 
subparagraph (B) with respect to a field office except 
in accordance with this subsection.
``(B) Covered actions.--The actions described in 
this subparagraph with respect to a field office are 
the following:
``(i) Permanently closing a field office, 
including by ending or electing not to renew a 
lease for a field office.
``(ii) Ending, or electing not to renew, a 
lease for any field office.
``(iii) Consolidating the field office with 
one or more other field offices.
``(iv) Any other action that would impose a 
new limitation on public access or reduce in-
person services at a field office.
``(C) Public health emergency exception.--This 
subsection shall not apply for the duration of any 
public health emergency under section 319(a) of the 
Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 247d(a)).
``(2) Notification of anticipated action.--
``(A) In general.--Not later than 180 days before 
the date on which the Commissioner intends any action 
described in paragraph (1)(B) with respect to a field 
office to take effect, the Commissioner shall 
promulgate a public notification of such action that 
includes the following information:
``(i) An identification of the field 
office.
``(ii) The date on which such action is 
intended to take effect.
``(iii) The reasons for taking such action, 
including, if applicable, the reasons for 
rejecting any available alternative actions 
such as relocation of the field office and the 
role, if any, played by the General Services 
Administration in contributing to such 
decision.
``(iv) The date, time, and location of the 
public hearings to be held pursuant to 
paragraph (3).
``(v) Any alternative means of receiving 
assistance related to social security which may 
be used by individuals served by the field 
office.
``(vi) Contact information, including by 
phone and internet, by which individuals may 
inquire for more information related to such 
action.
In promulgating a notification under this paragraph, 
the Commissioner shall post such notification at the 
affected field office and other nearby field offices, 
mail such notification to residents in the area served 
by such field offices, publish such notification in 
newspapers printed in such area, or take such other 
actions as the Commissioner determines to be necessary.
``(B) Congressional notification.--As soon as 
practicable and not later than 180 days before the date 
on which the Commissioner intends any action described 
in paragraph (1)(B) with respect to a field office to 
take effect, the Commissioner shall provide written 
notification to each member of Congress and Senator 
whose constituents are served by such field office.
``(C) Local government notification and 
involvement.--As soon as practicable and not later than 
180 days before the date on which the Commissioner 
intends any action described in paragraph (1)(B) with 
respect to a field office to take effect, the 
Commissioner shall provide written notification to any 
unit of local government within the service area of 
such field office and provide the opportunity for local 
governments to propose alternatives for such action.
``(3) Opportunity for public comment.--
``(A) Public hearing.--Not earlier than 30 days and 
not later than 120 days after a notification is 
published under paragraph (2)(A) with respect to any 
action described in paragraph (1)(B) with respect to a 
field office, the Commissioner shall hold not fewer 
than two public hearings in the geographic area served 
by the field office, at which the Commissioner shall--
``(i) present the reasons for taking such 
action, including the criteria used to select 
the field office for such action and, if 
applicable, the reasons for rejecting any 
available alternative actions such as 
relocation of the field office within the area 
served;
``(ii) describe the Social Security 
Administration's plan to mitigate disruption in 
service for the community served by the field 
office, including any special needs of the 
community and any anticipated impact on 
vulnerable populations such as the elderly, 
individuals with disabilities, and those with 
language or mobility challenges; and
``(iii) provide an opportunity for public 
comment, including an opportunity to recommend 
alternatives to such action.
``(B) Submission of written comments.--The 
Commissioner shall accept written comments from the 
public relating to such action during the period 
described in subparagraph (A), which shall be posted on 
the website of the Social Security Administration.
``(4) Public report on hearing.--Not later than 15 days 
before the date on which any action described in paragraph 
(1)(B) with respect to a field office takes effect, the 
Commissioner shall prominently publish on the website of the 
Social Security Administration a written report that describes 
the action the Commissioner intends to take with respect to the 
field office after giving full consideration to, any 
alternatives proposed by local governments pursuant to 
paragraph (2)(c) and any public comments received during the 
period described in paragraph (3)(A). Such report shall include 
a response by the Commissioner to each unique written comment 
received during such period. The Commissioner shall submit a 
copy of such report to each member of Congress identified 
pursuant to paragraph (2)(B), the Committees on Appropriations 
of the House of Representatives and the Senate, the Committee 
on Ways and Means of the House of Representatives, and the 
Committee on Finance of the Senate.
``(5) Approval by inspector general of the social security 
administration.--No action described in paragraph (1)(B) may go 
into effect until the Inspector General of the Social Security 
Administration has reviewed any health and safety claims made 
by the Commissioner with respect to such action and has 
determined that the Commissioner substantially and procedurally 
complied with all applicable laws, regulations, and guidelines 
with respect to such action.''.
(b) Moratorium.--The Commissioner may not take any action described 
in section 714(b)(1)(B) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 
914(b)(1)(B)) with respect to a field office until the date that is 30 
days after the date on which the Inspector General of the Social 
Security Administration provides a written determination that the 
amendments made by subsection (a) have been fully implemented by the 
Social Security Administration, except that in the case of such an 
action related to health and safety reviewed by the Inspector General, 
such action may take effect for a period not to exceed 30 days unless 
the Commissioner provides public notice explaining the need to extend 
such period.

SEC. 3. RECOMMENDATIONS OF SOCIAL SECURITY ADVISORY BOARD.

Section 703(b)(4) of title VII of the Social Security Act (42 
U.S.C. 903(b)(4)) is amended by striking ``public'' and inserting 
``public, taking into account the impact of closing field offices on 
the quality of service to individuals with disabilities or language 
barriers or other vulnerable populations''.

SEC. 4. REPORT TO CONGRESS.

Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this 
Act, the Commissioner shall submit to the Committee on Ways and Means 
of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Finance of the 
Senate a report that--
(1) includes a list of all field offices closed during the 
5-year period ending on the date of enactment of this Act, the 
reason for each such closure, and any impacts of each such 
closure on wait-times and staffing at nearby affected field 
offices;
(2) describes the role played by the Government Services 
Administration (GSA) in each of the field office closings in 
identifying any available alternative actions such as 
relocation of the field office, including a detailed 
description of--
(A) the number of alternative locations identified 
by the GSA during each closure procedure;
(B) whether the GSA sought input (and the means by 
which that input was solicited) on alternative 
locations from State or local public officials or the 
public in the affected service area (including how many 
days, weeks, months, or years prior to the closing the 
GSA sought such input) and the most common cited 
reasons for not finding suitable alternative locations 
prior to closing a field office; and
(C) any recommendations for how to improve the 
transparency and adequacy of the process for soliciting 
and determining the appropriateness of alternative 
space for relocation prior to closing a field office; 
and
(3) describes a plan--
(A) to ensure that field offices are receiving 
sufficient resources to maintain at least the level of 
constituent services provided in the previous fiscal 
year; and
(B) to adequately address the number of individuals 
projected to use field offices during the 10-year 
period beginning on the date of enactment of this Act.
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