HR 963119th CongressIn Committee

Protecting Social Security Act

Introduced: Feb 4, 2025

Standard Summary

Comprehensive overview in 1-2 paragraphs

The Protecting Social Security Act is a House bill that would (1) strengthen access to Social Security by requiring a field office in every county with more than 150,000 people, (2) create a temporary federal funding mechanism to cover benefits if the Old-Age and Survivors Insurance (OASI) or Disability Insurance (DI) trust funds become insolvent, and (3) establish a fast-track, no-rollback process for enacting a “Social Security solvency bill” when insolvency is certified by the Commissioner of Social Security. The solvency bill is narrowly defined to keep benefit payments intact, avoid broad tax increases or benefit cuts, and require any additional funding to come from ultra-wealthy individuals and corporations. The expedited process is designed to move such legislation through both chambers rapidly, with tight deadlines and limited or no amendments. In short, the bill aims to guarantee ongoing benefits during solvency crises, expand local SSA access, and streamline congressional action to address Social Security solvency, subject to funding provisions tied to wealthier taxpayers and corporations instead of broad tax or benefit changes.

Key Points

1Field office expansion: Requires the Commissioner of Social Security to ensure a field office operates in every county with population over 150,000.
2Insolvency funding mechanism: If SSA certifies that the OASI or DI trust fund balance is insufficient to finance benefits, there shall be monthly appropriations to the insolvent trust fund equal to the amount needed to pay benefits.
3Expedited solvency bills: When insolvency is certified, Congress must consider a “Social Security solvency bill” on an expedited track. The bill must ensure full benefits continue, not raise taxes on certain individuals, not decrease benefits, and any new funding must come from the ultra-wealthy and corporations.
4Fast-track process in both chambers: Detailed, time-bound procedures for introducing, reporting, and moving a solvency bill through the House and Senate, including automatic discharge from committees if they fail to report within specified days, and limited debate and no amendments.
5No amendments to solvency bills: Once a solvency bill is on the floor, amendments cannot be offered in either chamber.

Impact Areas

Primary group/area affected:- Social Security beneficiaries and title II program participants (retirees, disabled individuals, and their dependents) who rely on ongoing benefit payments.- The Social Security Administration (SSA) as the implementing agency.Secondary group/area affected:- Local populations in counties over 150,000, who gain expanded SSA field office access.- Taxpayers and the broader federal budget, given the insolvency funding mechanism and the stated funding approach tied to ultra-wealthy individuals and corporations.Additional impacts:- Budgetary and fiscal implications of ongoing monthly appropriations to cover benefit payments during insolvency periods.- Potential political and policy debates about financing Social Security solvency through wealthier taxpayers and corporations versus general revenues or broader tax changes.- Administrative and procedural impact on how quickly solvency legislation could be enacted, with reduced room for legislative compromise during a solvency crisis.

Generated by gpt-5-nano on Nov 18, 2025