[Congressional Bills 103th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 922 Introduced in House (IH)]

103d CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 922

To amend the Social Security Act and related provisions of law to make 
 miscellaneous improvements in the old-age, survivors, and disability 
                           insurance program.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           February 17, 1993

  Mr. Jacobs introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                      Committee on Ways and Means

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To amend the Social Security Act and related provisions of law to make 
 miscellaneous improvements in the old-age, survivors, and disability 
                           insurance program.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE AND TABLE OF CONTENTS.

    (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Social Security 
Miscellaneous Amendments Act of 1993''.
    (b) Table of Contents.--

Sec. 1. Short title and table of contents.
Sec. 2. Explicit requirements for maintenance of telephone access to 
                            local offices of the Social Security 
                            Administration.
Sec. 3. Expansion of State option to exclude service of election 
                            officials or election workers from 
                            coverage.
Sec. 4. Treatment of certain noncash remuneration for agricultural 
                            labor.
Sec. 5. Use of social security numbers by States and local governments 
                            and Federal district courts for jury 
                            selection purposes.
Sec. 6. Authorization for all States to extend coverage to State and 
                            local policemen and firemen under existing 
                            coverage agreements.
Sec. 7. Limited exemption for Canadian ministers from certain self-
                            employment tax liability.
Sec. 8. Exclusion of totalization benefits from the application of the 
                            windfall elimination provision.
Sec. 9. Exclusion of military reservists from application of the 
                            Government pension offset and windfall 
                            elimination provisions.
Sec. 10. Repeal of the facility-of-payment provision.
Sec. 11. Maximum family benefits in guarantee cases.
Sec. 12. Authorization for disclosure by the Secretary of Health and 
                            Human Services of information for purposes 
                            of public or private epidemiological and 
                            similar research.

SEC. 2. EXPLICIT REQUIREMENTS FOR MAINTENANCE OF TELEPHONE ACCESS TO 
              LOCAL OFFICES OF THE SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION.

    (a) Maintenance of Service to Local Offices.--
            (1) In general.--Section 5110(a) of the Omnibus Budget 
        Reconciliation Act of 1990 (104 Stat. 1388-272) is amended by 
        adding at the end the following new sentences: ``In carrying 
        out the requirements of the preceding sentence, the Secretary 
        shall reestablish and maintain in service at least the same 
        number of telephone lines to each such local office as was in 
        place as of such date, including telephone sets for connections 
        to such lines.''.
            (2) Effective date.--The Secretary of Health and Human 
        Services shall ensure that the requirements of the amendment 
        made by paragraph (1) are carried out no later than 90 days 
        after the date of the enactment of this Act.
            (3) GAO report.--The Comptroller General of the United 
        States shall make an independent determination of the number of 
        telephone lines to each local office of the Social Security 
        Administration which are in place as of 90 days after the 
        enactment of this Act and shall report his findings to the 
        Committee on Ways and Means of the House of Representatives and 
        the Committee on Finance of the Senate no later than 150 days 
        after the date of the enactment of this Act.
    (b) Maintenance of Toll-Free Telephone Number Service.--The 
Secretary of Health and Human Services shall ensure that toll-free 
telephone service provided by the Social Security Administration is 
maintained at a level which is at least equal to that in effect on the 
date of the enactment of this Act.

SEC. 3. EXPANSION OF STATE OPTION TO EXCLUDE SERVICE OF ELECTION 
              OFFICIALS OR ELECTION WORKERS FROM COVERAGE.

    (a) Limitation on Mandatory Coverage of State Election Officials 
and Election Workers Without State Retirement System.--
            (1) Amendment to social security act.--Section 
        210(a)(7)(F)(iv) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 
        410(a)(7)(F)(iv)) (as amended by section 11332(a) of the 
        Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990) is amended by 
        striking ``$100'' and inserting ``$1,000 with respect to 
        service performed during 1994, and the exempt remuneration 
        amount determined under section 218(c)(8)(B) with respect to 
        service performed thereafter''.
            (2) Amendment to fica.--Section 3121(b)(7) of the Internal 
        Revenue Code of 1986 (as amended by section 11332(b) of the 
        Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990) is amended by 
        striking ``$100'' and inserting ``$1,000 with respect to 
        service performed during 1994, and the exempt remuneration 
        amount determined under section 218(c)(8)(B) of the Social 
        Security Act with respect to service performed thereafter''.
    (b) Conforming Amendments Relating to Medicare Qualified Government 
Employment.--
            (1) Amendment to social security act.--Section 210(p)(2)(E) 
        of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 410(p)(2)(E)) is amended 
        by striking ``$100'' and inserting ``$1,000 with respect to 
        service performed during 1994, and the exempt remuneration 
        amount determined under section 218(c)(8)(B) with respect to 
        service performed thereafter''.
            (2) Amendment to fica.--Section 3121(u)(2)(B)(ii)(V) of the 
        Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by striking ``$100'' 
        and inserting ``$1,000 with respect to service performed during 
        1994, and the exempt remuneration amount determined under 
        section 218(c)(8)(B) of the Social Security Act with respect to 
        service performed thereafter''.
    (c) Authority for States To Modify Coverage Agreements With Respect 
to Election Officials and Election Workers.--Section 218(c)(8) of the 
Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 418(c)(8)) is amended--
            (1) by striking ``on or after January 1, 1968,'' and 
        inserting ``at any time'';
            (2) by striking ``$100'' and inserting ``$1,000 with 
        respect to service performed during 1994, and the exempt 
        remuneration amount determined under subparagraph (B) with 
        respect to service performed thereafter''; and
            (3) by striking the last sentence and inserting the 
        following new sentence: ``Any modification of an agreement 
        pursuant to this paragraph shall be effective with respect to 
        services performed in and after the calendar year in which the 
        modification is mailed or delivered by other means to the 
        Secretary.''.
    (d) Indexation of Exempt Remuneration Amount.--
            (1) In general.--Section 218(c)(8) of the Social Security 
        Act (as amended by subsection (c)) is further amended--
                    (A) by inserting ``(A)'' after ``(8)''; and
                    (B) by adding at the end the following new 
                subparagraphs:
    ``(B) The Secretary shall, on or before November 1 of 1994 and of 
every year thereafter, determine and publish in the Federal Register 
the exempt remuneration amount which shall be effective with respect to 
service performed during the following calendar year.
    ``(C) The exempt remuneration amount determined under subparagraph 
(B) shall be the larger of--
            ``(i) the dollar amount in effect under subparagraph (A) 
        with respect to service performed during the calendar year in 
        which the determination under subparagraph (B) is made, or
            ``(ii) the product of--
                    ``(I) $1,000, and
                    ``(II) the indexing ratio described in subparagraph 
                (D).
    ``(D) For purposes of subparagraph (C)(ii)(II), the indexing ratio 
is the ratio of--
            ``(i) the deemed average total wages (as defined in section 
        209(k)(1)) for the calendar year before the calendar year in 
        which the determination under subparagraph (B) is made, to
            ``(ii) the average of the total wages (as defined in 
        regulations of the Secretary and computed without regard to the 
        limitations specified in section 209(a)(1)) reported to the 
        Secretary of the Treasury or his delegate for 1991 (as 
        published in the Federal Register in accordance with section 
        215(a)(1)(D)),
with such product, if not a multiple of $100, being rounded to the next 
higher multiple of $100 where such product is a multiple of $50 but not 
of $100 and to the nearest multiple of $100 in any other case.''.
            (2) Conforming amendment.--Section 209(k)(1) of such Act 
        (42 U.S.C. 409(k)(1)) is amended by inserting 
        ``218(c)(8)(D)(i),'' after ``215(b)(3)(A)(ii),''.
    (e) Effective Date.--The amendments made by subsections (a), (b), 
and (c) shall apply with respect to service performed on or after 
January 1, 1994.

SEC. 4. TREATMENT OF CERTAIN NONCASH REMUNERATION FOR AGRICULTURAL 
              LABOR.

    (a) Amendments to 1986 Code.--Paragraph (8) of section 3121(a) of 
the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (defining wages) is amended--
            (1) by striking so much of such paragraph as precedes 
        subparagraph (B) thereof and inserting the following:
            ``(8)(A) remuneration for agricultural labor to the extent 
        such remuneration consists of--
                    ``(i) meals or lodging furnished on the premises of 
                the employer to the employee, the employee's spouse, or 
                any of the employee's dependents, or
                    ``(ii) in the case of an employee who is a seasonal 
                worker, temporary lodging furnished in reasonable 
                proximity to such premises to the employee, the 
                employee's spouse, or any of the employee's 
                dependents;''; and
            (2) by striking ``cash remuneration'' each place it appears 
        in subparagraph (B) and inserting ``remuneration (not excluded 
        under subparagraph (A))''.
    (b) Amendments to Social Security Act.--Paragraph (7) of section 
209(a) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 409(a)(7)) is amended--
            (1) by striking so much of such paragraph as precedes 
        subparagraph (B) thereof and inserting the following:
            ``(7)(A) Remuneration for agricultural labor to the extent 
        such remuneration consists of--
                    ``(i) meals or lodging furnished on the premises of 
                the employer to the employee, the employee's spouse, or 
                any of the employee's dependents, or
                    ``(ii) in the case of an employee who is a seasonal 
                worker, temporary lodging furnished in reasonable 
                proximity to such premises to the employee, the 
                employee's spouse, or any of the employee's 
                dependents;'', and
            (2) in subparagraph (B)--
                    (A) by striking ``Cash remuneration'' and inserting 
                ``Remuneration (not excluded under subparagraph (A))'', 
                and
                    (B) by striking ``cash remuneration'' and inserting 
                ``remuneration (not excluded under subparagraph (A))''.
    (c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall 
apply to remuneration paid after December 31, 1993.

SEC. 5. USE OF SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBERS BY STATES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS 
              AND FEDERAL DISTRICT COURTS FOR JURY SELECTION PURPOSES.

    (a) In General.--Section 205(c)(2) of the Social Security Act (42 
U.S.C. 405(c)(2)) is amended--
            (1) in subparagraph (B)(i), by striking ``(E)'' in the 
        matter preceding subclause (I) and inserting ``(F)'';
            (2) by redesignating subparagraphs (E) and (F) as 
        subparagraphs (F) and (G), respectively; and
            (3) by inserting after subparagraph (D) the following:
    ``(E)(i) It is the policy of the United States that--
            ``(I) any State (or any political subdivision of a State) 
        may utilize the social security account numbers issued by the 
        Secretary for the additional purposes described in clause (ii) 
        if such numbers have been collected and are otherwise utilized 
        by such State (or political subdivision) in accordance with 
        applicable law, and
            ``(II) any district court of the United States may use, for 
        such additional purposes, any such social security account 
        numbers which have been so collected and are so utilized by any 
        State.
    ``(ii) The additional purposes described in this clause are the 
following:
            ``(I) identifying duplicate names of individuals on master 
        lists used for jury selection purposes, and
            ``(II) identifying on such master lists those individuals 
        who are ineligible to serve on a jury by reason of their 
        conviction of a felony.
    ``(iii) To the extent that any provision of Federal law enacted 
before the date of the enactment of this subparagraph is inconsistent 
with the policy set forth in clause (i), such provision shall, on and 
after that date, be null, void, and of no effect.
    ``(iv) For purposes of this subparagraph, the term `State' has the 
meaning such term has in subparagraph (D).''.
    (b) Effective Date.--The amendments made by subsection (a) shall 
take effect on the date of the enactment of this Act.

SEC. 6. AUTHORIZATION FOR ALL STATES TO EXTEND COVERAGE TO STATE AND 
              LOCAL POLICEMEN AND FIREMEN UNDER EXISTING COVERAGE 
              AGREEMENTS.

    (a) In General.--Section 218(l) of the Social Security Act (42 
U.S.C. 418(l)) is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (1), by striking ``(1)'' after ``(l)'', 
        and by striking ``the State of'' and all that follows through 
        ``date of the enactment of this subsection'' and inserting ``a 
        State entered into pursuant to this section''; and
            (2) by striking paragraph (2).
    (b) Conforming Amendment.--Section 218(d)(8)(D) of such Act (42 
U.S.C. 418(d)(8)(D)) is amended by striking ``agreements with States 
named in'' and inserting ``State agreements modified as provided in''.
    (c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall 
apply with respect to modifications filed by States after the date of 
the enactment of this Act.

SEC. 7. LIMITED EXEMPTION FOR CANADIAN MINISTERS FROM CERTAIN SELF-
              EMPLOYMENT TAX LIABILITY.

    (a) In General.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law, if--
            (1) an individual performed services described in section 
        1402(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 which are 
        subject to tax under section 1401 of such Code,
            (2) such services were performed in Canada at a time when 
        no agreement between the United States and Canada pursuant to 
        section 233 of the Social Security Act was in effect, and
            (3) such individual was required to pay contributions on 
        the earnings from such services under the social insurance 
        system of Canada,
then such individual may file a certificate under this section in such 
form and manner, and with such official, as may be prescribed in 
regulations issued under chapter 2 of such Code. Upon the filing of 
such certificate, notwithstanding any judgment which has been entered 
to the contrary, such individual shall be exempt from payment of such 
tax and from any penalties or interest for failure to pay such tax or 
to file a self-employment tax return as required under section 6017 of 
such Code.
    (b) Period for Filing.--A certificate referred to in subsection (a) 
may be filed only during the 180-day period commencing with the date on 
which the regulations referred to in subsection (a) are issued.
    (c) Taxable Years Affected by Certificate.--A certificate referred 
to in subsection (a) shall be effective for taxable years ending after 
December 31, 1978, and before January 1, 1985.
    (d) Restriction on Crediting of Exempt Self-Employment Income.--In 
any case in which an individual is exempt under this section from 
paying a tax imposed under section 1401 of the Internal Revenue Code of 
1986, any income on which such tax would have been imposed but for such 
exemption shall not constitute self-employment income under section 
211(b) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 411(b)), and, if such 
individual's primary insurance amount has been determined under section 
215 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 415), notwithstanding section 215(f)(1) of 
such Act, the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall recompute 
such primary insurance amount so as to take into account the provisions 
of this subsection.

SEC. 8. EXCLUSION OF TOTALIZATION BENEFITS FROM THE APPLICATION OF THE 
              WINDFALL ELIMINATION PROVISION.

    (a) In General.--Section 215(a)(7) of the Social Security Act (42 
U.S.C. 415(a)(7)) is amended--
            (1) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``but excluding'' and 
        all that follows through ``1937'' and inserting ``but excluding 
        (I) a payment under the Railroad Retirement Act of 1974 or 
        1937, and (II) a payment by a social security system of a 
        foreign country based on an agreement concluded between the 
        United States and such foreign country pursuant to section 
        233''; and
            (2) in subparagraph (E), by inserting after ``in the case 
        of an individual'' the following: ``whose eligibility for old-
        age or disability insurance benefits is based on an agreement 
        concluded pursuant to section 233 or an individual''.
    (b) Conforming Amendment Relating to Benefits Under 1939 Act.--
Section 215(d)(3) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 415(d)(3)) is amended by 
striking ``but excluding'' and all that follows through ``1937'' and 
inserting ``but excluding (I) a payment under the Railroad Retirement 
Act of 1974 or 1937, and (II) a payment by a social security system of 
a foreign country based on an agreement concluded between the United 
States and such foreign country pursuant to section 233''.
    (c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall 
apply (notwithstanding section 215(f)(1) of the Social Security Act (42 
U.S.C. 415(f)(1))) with respect to benefits payable for months after 
October 1993.

SEC. 9. EXCLUSION OF MILITARY RESERVISTS FROM APPLICATION OF THE 
              GOVERNMENT PENSION OFFSET AND WINDFALL ELIMINATION 
              PROVISIONS.

    (a) Exclusion from Government Pension Offset Provisions.--
Subsections (b)(4), (c)(2), (e)(7), (f)(2), and (g)(4) of section 202 
of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 402 (b)(4), (c)(2), (e)(7), 
(f)(2), and (g)(4)) are each amended--
            (1) in subparagraph (A)(ii), by striking ``unless 
        subparagraph (B) applies.'';
            (2) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``The'' in the matter 
        following clause (ii) and inserting ``unless subparagraph (B) 
        applies. The''; and
            (3) in subparagraph (B), by redesignating the existing 
        matter as clause (ii), and by inserting before such clause (ii) 
        (as so redesignated) the following:
    ``(B)(i) Subparagraph (A)(i) shall not apply with respect to 
monthly periodic benefits based wholly on service as a member of a 
uniformed service (as defined in section 210(m)).''.
    (b) Exclusion From Windfall Elimination Provisions.--Section 
215(a)(7)(A) of such Act (as amended by section 8(a) of this Act) and 
section 215(d)(3) of such Act (as amended by section 8(b) of this Act) 
are each further amended--
            (1) by striking ``and'' before ``(II)''; and
            (2) by striking ``section 233'' and inserting ``section 
        233, and (III) a payment based wholly on service as a member of 
        a uniformed service (as defined in section 210(m))''.
    (c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall 
apply (notwithstanding section 215(f) of the Social Security Act) with 
respect to benefits payable for months after October 1993.

SEC. 10. REPEAL OF THE FACILITY-OF-PAYMENT PROVISION.

    (a) Repeal of Rule Precluding Redistribution Under Family 
Maximum.--Section 203(i) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 403(i)) 
is repealed.
    (b) Coordination Under Family Maximum of Reduction in Beneficiary's 
Auxiliary Benefits With Suspension of Auxiliary Benefits of Other 
Beneficiary Under Earnings Test.--Section 203(a)(4) of such Act (42 
U.S.C. 403(a)(4)) is amended by striking ``section 222(b). Whenever'' 
and inserting the following: ``section 222(b). Notwithstanding the 
preceding sentence, any reduction under this subsection in the case of 
an individual who is entitled to a benefit under subsection (b), (c), 
(d), (e), (f), (g), or (h) of section 202 for any month on the basis of 
the same wages and self-employment income as another person--
            ``(A) who also is entitled to a benefit under subsection 
        (b), (c), (d), (e), (f), (g), or (h) of section 202 for such 
        month,
            ``(B) who does not live in the same household as such 
        individual, and
            ``(C) whose benefit for such month is suspended (in whole 
        or in part) pursuant to subsection (h)(3) of this section,
shall be made before the suspension under subsection (h)(3). 
Whenever''.
    (c) Conforming Amendment Applying Earnings Reporting Requirement 
Despite Suspension of Benefits.--The third sentence of section 
203(h)(1)(A) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 403(h)(1)(A)) is amended by 
striking ``Such report need not be made'' and all that follows through 
``The Secretary may grant'' and inserting the following: ``Such report 
need not be made for any taxable year--
            ``(i) beginning with or after the month in which such 
        individual attained age 70, or
            ``(ii) if benefit payments for all months (in such taxable 
        year) in which such individual is under age 70 have been 
        suspended under the provisions of the first sentence of 
        paragraph (3) of this subsection, unless--
                    ``(I) such individual is entitled to benefits under 
                subsection (b), (c), (d), (e), (f), (g), or (h) of 
                section 202,
                    ``(II) such benefits are reduced under subsection 
                (a) of this section for any month in such taxable year, 
                and
                    ``(III) in any such month there is another person 
                who also is entitled to benefits under subsection (b), 
                (c), (d), (e), (f), (g), or (h) of section 202 on the 
                basis of the same wages and self-employment income and 
                who does not live in the same household as such 
                individual.
The Secretary may grant''.
    (d) Conforming Amendment Deleting Special Income Tax Treatment of 
Benefits No Longer Required by Reason of Repeal.--Section 86(d)(1) of 
the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (relating to income tax on social 
security benefits) is amended by striking the last sentence.
    (e) Effective Dates.--
            (1) The amendments made by subsections (a), (b), and (c) 
        shall apply with respect to benefits payable for months after 
        December 1994.
            (2) The amendment made by subsection (d) shall apply with 
        respect to benefits received after December 31, 1994, in 
        taxable years ending after such date.

SEC. 11. MAXIMUM FAMILY BENEFITS IN GUARANTEE CASES.

    (a) In General.--Section 203(a) of the Social Security Act (42 
U.S.C. 403(a)) is amended by adding at the end the following new 
paragraph:
    ``(10)(A) Subject to subparagraphs (B) and (C)--
            ``(i) the total monthly benefits to which beneficiaries may 
        be entitled under sections 202 and 223 for a month on the basis 
        of the wages and self-employment income of an individual whose 
        primary insurance amount is computed under section 
        215(a)(2)(B)(i) shall equal the total monthly benefits which 
        were authorized by this section with respect to such 
        individual's primary insurance amount for the last month of his 
        prior entitlement to disability insurance benefits, increased 
        for this purpose by the general benefit increases and other 
        increases under section 215(i) that would have applied to such 
        total monthly benefits had the individual remained entitled to 
        disability insurance benefits until the month in which he 
        became entitled to old-age insurance benefits or reentitled to 
        disability insurance benefits or died, and
            ``(ii) the total monthly benefits to which beneficiaries 
        may be entitled under sections 202 and 223 for a month on the 
        basis of the wages and self-employment income of an individual 
        whose primary insurance amount is computed under section 
        215(a)(2)(C) shall equal the total monthly benefits which were 
        authorized by this section with respect to such individual's 
        primary insurance amount for the last month of his prior 
        entitlement to disability insurance benefits.
    ``(B) In any case in which--
            ``(i) the total monthly benefits with respect to such 
        individual's primary insurance amount for the last month of his 
        prior entitlement to disability insurance benefits was computed 
        under paragraph (6), and
            ``(ii) the individual's primary insurance amount is 
        computed under subparagraph (B)(i) or (C) of section 215(a)(2) 
        by reason of the individual's entitlement to old-age insurance 
        benefits or death,
the total monthly benefits shall equal the total monthly benefits that 
would have been authorized with respect to the primary insurance amount 
for the last month of his prior entitlement to disability insurance 
benefits if such total monthly benefits had been computed without 
regard to paragraph (6).
    ``(C) This paragraph shall apply before the application of 
paragraph (3)(A), and before the application of section 203(a)(1) of 
this Act as in effect in December 1978.''.
    (b) Conforming Amendment.--Section 203(a)(8) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 
403(a)(8)) is amended by striking ``Subject to paragraph (7),'' and 
inserting ``Subject to paragraph (7) and except as otherwise provided 
in paragraph (10)(C),''.
    (c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall 
apply for the purpose of determining the total monthly benefits to 
which beneficiaries may be entitled under sections 202 and 223 of the 
Social Security Act based on the wages and self-employment income of an 
individual who--
            (1) becomes entitled to an old-age insurance benefit under 
        section 202(a) of such Act,
            (2) becomes reentitled to a disability insurance benefit 
        under section 223 of such Act, or
            (3) dies,
after October 1993.

SEC. 12. AUTHORIZATION FOR DISCLOSURE BY THE SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND 
              HUMAN SERVICES OF INFORMATION FOR PURPOSES OF PUBLIC OR 
              PRIVATE EPIDEMIOLOGICAL AND SIMILAR RESEARCH.

    (a) In General.--Section 1106 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 
1306) is amended--
            (1) by redesignating subsections (d) and (e) as subsections 
        (e) and (f), respectively;
            (2) in subsection (f) (as so redesignated), by striking 
        ``subsection (d)'' and inserting ``subsection (e)''; and
            (3) by inserting after subsection (c) the following new 
        subsection:
    ``(d) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, in any 
case in which--
            ``(1) information regarding whether an individual is shown 
        on the records of the Secretary as being alive or deceased is 
        requested from the Secretary for purposes of epidemiological or 
        similar research which the Secretary finds may reasonably be 
        expected to contribute to a national health interest, and
            ``(2) the requester agrees to reimburse the Secretary for 
        providing such information and to comply with limitations on 
        safeguarding and rerelease or redisclosure of such information 
        as may be specified by the Secretary,
the Secretary shall comply with such request, except to the extent that 
compliance with such request would constitute a violation of the terms 
of any contract entered into under section 205(r).''.
    (b) Availability of Information Returns Regarding Wages Paid 
Employees.--Section 6103(l)(5) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 
(relating to disclosure of returns and return information to the 
Department of Health and Human Services for purposes other than tax 
administration) is amended--
            (1) by striking ``for the purpose of'' and inserting ``for 
        the purpose of--'';
            (2) by striking ``carrying out, in accordance with an 
        agreement'' and inserting the following:
                    ``(A) carrying out, in accordance with an 
                agreement'';
            (3) by striking ``program.'' and inserting ``program; or''; 
        and
            (4) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
                    ``(B) providing information regarding the mortality 
                status of individuals for epidemiological and similar 
                research in accordance with section 1106(d) of the 
                Social Security Act.''.
    (c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall 
apply with respect to requests for information made after the date of 
the enactment of this Act.

                                 <all>

HR 922 IH----2