[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 9341 Introduced in House (IH)]

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118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 9341

    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

                             August 9, 2024

   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 former 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.
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