[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 77 Introduced in House (IH)]






109th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 H. R. 77

To amend title II of the Social Security Act to allow remarried widows, 
 widowers, and surviving divorced spouses to become or remain entitled 
 to widow's or widower's insurance benefits if the prior marriage was 
                         for at least 10 years.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 4, 2005

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

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To amend title II of the Social Security Act to allow remarried widows, 
 widowers, and surviving divorced spouses to become or remain entitled 
 to widow's or widower's insurance benefits if the prior marriage was 
                         for at least 10 years.

    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 ``Remarried Widows' and Widowers' 
Benefits Act of 2005''.

SEC. 2. ENTITLEMENT OF REMARRIED WIDOWS, WIDOWERS, AND SURVIVING 
              DIVORCED SPOUSES TO WIDOW'S AND WIDOWER'S INSURANCE 
              BENEFITS.

    (a) Widow's Insurance Benefits.--Section 202(e)(3) of the Social 
Security Act (42 U.S.C. 402(e)(3)) is amended--
            (1) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``or'' at the end;
            (2) in subparagraph (B), by adding ``or'' at the end; and
            (3) by inserting after subparagraph (B) the following new 
        subparagraph:
            ``(C) a widow or surviving divorced wife who was married to 
        the fully insured individual referred to in paragraph (1) for 
        at least 10 years marries,''.
    (b) Widower's Insurance Benefits.--Section 202(f)(3) of the Social 
Security Act (42 U.S.C. 402(f)(3)) is amended--
            (1) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``or'' at the end;
            (2) in subparagraph (B), by adding ``or'' at the end; and
            (3) by inserting after subparagraph (B) the following new 
        subparagraph:
            ``(C) a widower or surviving divorced husband who was 
        married to the fully insured individual referred to in 
        paragraph (1) for at least 10 years marries,''.

SEC. 3. EFFECTIVE DATE.

    The amendments made by this Act shall apply with respect to 
remarriages occurring on or after the date of the enactment of this 
Act.
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