H.R. 963

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 963 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 963

To require expedited consideration of a bill that addresses the 
insolvency of the Federal Old-Age and Survivors Insurance Trust Fund or 
the Federal Disability Insurance Trust Fund in the case that either 
trust fund becomes insolvent.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

February 4, 2025

Mr. Ryan introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Rules, 
for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case 
for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of 
the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To require expedited consideration of a bill that addresses the 
insolvency of the Federal Old-Age and Survivors Insurance Trust Fund or 
the Federal Disability Insurance Trust Fund in the case that either 
trust fund becomes insolvent.

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 ``Protecting Social Security Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

Congress finds the following:
(1) Social Security is under threat from President Donald 
Trump and politicians like Speaker Mike Johnson, J.D. Vance, 
and Rick Scott.
(2) Social Security is an earned benefit that Americans 
have paid into over the course of their lifetime and belongs to 
those who have worked for it.
(3) Social Security benefits have not been expanded in over 
50 years.
(4) Nearly 9 out of every 10 people age 65 and older 
receive Social Security benefits.
(5) The 176-member House Republican Study Committee 
approved a plan that would increase the retirement age to 69 
years old.
(6) Social Security benefits are protected against 
inflation through automatic cost-of-living adjustments.
(7) There should be a Social Security field office 
operating in every county in the country that has a population 
greater than 150,000 people.
(8) Social Security is life saving for people without 
pensions or significant savings to protect themselves against 
hardship.
(9) Access to local Social Security offices is essential 
for those who rely on the program and may not be able to seek 
help online or over the phone.
(10) More than 9,000,000 veterans receive Social Security 
benefits.
(11) Over 6,000,000 children depend on Social Security 
because their parent has died, they live with a disability, or 
they live in a household that receives income from Social 
Security.

SEC. 3. SOCIAL SECURITY FIELD OFFICES.

Section 205 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 505) is amended 
by adding at the end the following:
``(v) Field Office Requirements.--The Commissioner of Social 
Security shall ensure that there is a field office operating in every 
county in the country that has a population greater than 150,000 
people.''.

SEC. 4. SOCIAL SECURITY INSOLVENCY.

During any period for which the Commissioner of Social Security 
certifies that the balance of the Federal Old-Age and Survivors 
Insurance Trust Fund or the Federal Disability Insurance Trust Fund 
established under section 201 of such the Social Security Act (42 
U.S.C. 401) is insufficient to finance benefit payments under title II 
of such Act, there shall be appropriated to the insolvent trust fund, 
on a monthly basis, an amount that is equal to the amount necessary for 
the Social Security Administration to pay such benefit payments.

SEC. 5. EXPEDITED CONSIDERATION OF SOCIAL SECURITY SOLVENCY BILLS.

(a) Qualifying Legislation.--
(1) Certification.--If the balance of the Federal Old-Age 
and Survivors Insurance Trust Fund or the Federal Disability 
Insurance Trust Fund established under section 201 of the 
Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 401) becomes insufficient to 
finance benefit payments under title II of such Act, then the 
Commissioner of Social Security shall certify to Congress that 
the Administration is unable to finance such benefit payments.
(2) Entitlement to expedited consideration.--Only a Social 
Security solvency bill shall be entitled to expedited 
consideration under this section upon Congress receiving the 
certification described in paragraph (1).
(3) Social security solvency bill defined.--In this Act, 
the term ``Social Security solvency bill'' means a bill 
consisting solely of legislative language that--
(A) ensures that individuals entitled to a benefit 
under title II of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 
401 et seq.) will continue to receive full benefits;
(B) will not raise taxes on individuals other than 
those described in subparagraph (C) or decrease 
benefits provided under such title; and
(C) ensures that any need for additional funds is 
to be borne by the ultra-wealthy and corporations.
(b) Consideration in the House of Representatives.--
(1) Introduction.--Upon receipt by Congress of a 
certification from the Commissioner of Social Security 
described in subsection (a)(1), a Social Security Solvency bill 
described in subsection (a)(3) shall be jointly introduced in 
the House of Representatives (by request) by the majority 
leader and the minority leader of the House of Representatives.
(2) Referral and reporting.--Any committee of the House of 
Representatives to which a Social Security Solvency bill is 
referred shall report the Social Security Solvency bill to the 
House of Representatives without amendment not later than 5 
legislative days after the date on which the Social Security 
Solvency bill was so referred. If any committee of the House of 
Representatives to which a Social Security Solvency bill is 
referred fails to report the Social Security Solvency bill 
within that period, that committee shall be automatically 
discharged from consideration of the Social Security Solvency 
bill, and the Social Security Solvency bill shall be placed on 
the appropriate calendar.
(3) Proceeding to consideration.--After the last committee 
authorized to consider a Social Security Solvency bill reports 
it to the House of Representatives or has been discharged from 
its consideration, it shall be in order to move to proceed to 
consider the Social Security Solvency bill in the House of 
Representatives. Such a motion shall not be in order after the 
House of Representatives has disposed of a motion to proceed 
with respect to the Social Security Solvency bill. The previous 
question shall be considered as ordered on the motion to its 
adoption without intervening motion. A motion to reconsider the 
vote by which the motion is disposed of shall not be in order.
(4) Consideration.--The Social Security Solvency bill shall 
be considered as read. All points of order against the Social 
Security Solvency bill and against its consideration are 
waived. The previous question shall be considered as ordered on 
the Social Security Solvency bill to its passage without 
intervening motion except 2 hours of debate equally divided and 
controlled by the proponent and an opponent. A motion to 
reconsider the vote on passage of the Social Security Solvency 
bill shall not be in order.
(5) Vote on passage.--The vote on passage of the Social 
Security Solvency bill shall occur not later than 15 days after 
the date of the introduction of such bill under paragraph (1).
(c) Expedited Procedure in the Senate.--
(1) Reconvening and introduction.--Upon receipt by Congress 
of a certification from the Commissioner of Social Security 
described in subsection (a)(1)--
(A) if the Senate has adjourned or recessed for 
more than 2 days, the majority leader of the Senate, 
after consultation with the minority leader of the 
Senate, shall notify the Members of the Senate that, 
pursuant to this section, the Senate shall convene not 
later than the second calendar day after receipt of 
such message; and
(B) a Social Security Solvency bill described in 
subsection (a)(3) shall be jointly introduced in the 
Senate (by request) by the majority leader and the 
minority leader of the Senate.
(2) Committee consideration.--A Social Security Solvency 
bill introduced in the Senate under paragraph (1) shall be 
jointly referred to the committee or committees of 
jurisdiction, which committees shall report the Social Security 
Solvency bill without any revision and with a favorable 
recommendation, an unfavorable recommendation, or without 
recommendation, not later than 5 session days after the date on 
which the Social Security Solvency bill was so referred. If any 
committee to which a Social Security Solvency bill is referred 
fails to report the Social Security Solvency bill within that 
period, that committee shall be automatically discharged from 
consideration of the Social Security Solvency bill, and the 
Social Security Solvency bill shall be placed on the 
appropriate calendar.
(3) Proceeding.--Notwithstanding rule XXII of the Standing 
Rules of the Senate, it is in order, not later than 2 days of 
session after the date on which a Social Security Solvency bill 
is reported or discharged from all committees to which the 
Social Security Solvency bill was referred, for the majority 
leader of the Senate or the designee of the majority leader to 
move to proceed to the consideration of the Social Security 
Solvency bill. It shall also be in order for any Member of the 
Senate to move to proceed to the consideration of the Social 
Security Solvency bill at any time after the conclusion of such 
2-day period. A motion to proceed is in order even though a 
previous motion to the same effect has been disagreed to. All 
points of order against the motion to proceed to the Social 
Security Solvency bill are waived. The motion to proceed is not 
debatable. The motion is not subject to a motion to postpone. A 
motion to reconsider the vote by which the motion is agreed to 
or disagreed to shall not be in order. If a motion to proceed 
to the consideration of the Social Security Solvency bill is 
agreed to, the Social Security Solvency bill shall remain the 
unfinished business until disposed of. All points of order 
against the Social Security Solvency bill and against 
consideration of the Social Security Solvency bill are waived.
(4) No amendments.--An amendment to a Social Security 
Solvency bill, or a motion to postpone, or a motion to proceed 
to the consideration of other business, or a motion to recommit 
the Social Security Solvency bill, is not in order.
(5) Rulings of the chair on procedure.--Appeals from the 
decisions of the Chair relating to the application of the rules 
of the Senate, as the case may be, to the procedure relating to 
a Social Security Solvency bill shall be decided without 
debate.
(6) Debate.--Debate on the Social Security Solvency bill, 
and on all debatable motions and appeals in connection 
therewith, shall be limited to not more than 10 hours, which 
shall be divided equally between the majority and minority 
leaders or their designees.
(7) Vote on passage.--The vote on passage shall occur 
immediately following the conclusion of the debate on the 
Social Security Solvency bill, and a single quorum call at the 
conclusion of the debate if requested in accordance with the 
rules of the Senate.
(d) Amendment.--A Social Security Solvency bill shall not be 
subject to amendment in either the Senate or the House of 
Representatives.
(e) Consideration by the Other House.--
(1) In general.--If, before passing the Social Security 
Solvency bill, one House receives from the other a Social 
Security Solvency bill--
(A) the Social Security Solvency bill of the other 
House shall not be referred to a committee; and
(B) the procedure in the receiving House shall be 
the same as if no Social Security Solvency bill had 
been received from the other House until the vote on 
passage, when the Social Security Solvency bill 
received from the other House shall supplant the Social 
Security Solvency bill of the receiving House.
(2) Revenue measure.--This subsection shall not apply to 
the House of Representatives if the Social Security Solvency 
bill received from the Senate is a revenue measure.
(f) Rules To Coordinate Action With Other House.--
(1) Treatment of social security solvency bill of other 
house.--If the Senate fails to introduce or consider a Social 
Security Solvency bill under this section, the Social Security 
Solvency bill of the House of Representatives shall be entitled 
to expedited floor procedures under this section.
(2) Treatment of companion measures in the senate.--If, 
following passage of the Social Security Solvency bill in the 
Senate, the Senate then receives the Social Security Solvency 
bill from the House of Representatives, the House-passed Social 
Security Solvency bill shall not be debatable. The vote on 
passage of the Social Security Solvency bill in the Senate 
shall be considered to be the vote on passage of the Social 
Security Solvency bill received from the House of 
Representatives.
(3) Vetoes.--If the President vetoes the Social Security 
Solvency bill, debate on a veto message in the Senate under 
this section shall be 1 hour equally divided between the 
majority and minority leaders or their designees.
<all>