[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 135 (Friday, December 8, 2006)]
[House]
[Page H9300]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SOCIAL SECURITY TRUST FUNDS RESTORATION ACT OF 2006
Mr. THOMAS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee
on Ways and Means be discharged from further consideration of the
Senate bill (S. 4091) to provide authority for restoration of the
Social Security Trust Funds from the effects of a clerical error, and
for others purposes, and ask for its immediate consideration in the
House.
The Clerk read the title of the Senate bill.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from California?
Mr. KUCINICH. Reserving the right to object, the title said ``for
other purposes.'' Would you elaborate?
Mr. THOMAS. Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?
Mr. KUCINICH. I yield to the gentleman from California.
Mr. THOMAS. That is boilerplate language that is used. This is
something that we do virtually every year because there are always
accounting errors, and this allows for the correcting of the accounting
errors.
Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I withdraw my objection.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from California?
There was no objection.
The Clerk read the Senate bill, as follows:
S. 4091
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 ``Social Security Trust Funds
Restoration Act of 2006''.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
For purposes of this Act--
(1) Clerical error.--The term ``clerical error'' means the
bookkeeping errors at the Social Security Administration that
resulted in the overpayment of amounts transferred from the
Trust Funds to the general fund of the Treasury during the
period commencing with 1999 and ending with 2005 as
transfers, under the voluntary withholding program authorized
by section 3402(p) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, of
anticipated taxes on benefit payments under title II of the
Social Security Act.
(2) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of the Treasury.
(3) Trust funds.--The term ``Trust Funds'' means the
Federal Old-Age and Survivors Insurance Trust Fund and the
Federal Disability Insurance Trust Fund.
SEC. 3. RESTORATION OF TRUST FUNDS.
(a) Appropriation.--There is hereby appropriated to each of
the Trust Funds, out of any money in the Treasury not
otherwise appropriated, an amount determined by the
Secretary, in consultation with the Commissioner of Social
Security, to be equal, to the extent practicable in the
judgment of the Secretary, to the difference between--
(1) the sum of--
(A) the amounts that the Secretary determines, in
consultation with the Commissioner of Social Security, were
overpaid from such Trust Fund to the general fund of the
Treasury by reason of the clerical error, and
(B) the amount that the Secretary determines, in
consultation with the Commissioner of Social Security, to be
equal, to the extent practicable in the judgment of the
Secretary, to the interest income that would have been
payable to such Trust Fund pursuant to section 201(d) of the
Social Security Act on obligations issued under chapter 31 of
title 31, United States Code, that was not paid by reason of
the clerical error, and
(2) the sum of--
(A) the amounts that are refunded to such Trust Fund as
overpayments by reason of the clerical error to the extent
not limited by periods of limitation under applicable
provisions of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, and
(B) the interest that is paid to such Trust Fund on the
overpayments resulting from the clerical error to the extent
allowed under applicable provisions of such Code.
(b) Investment.--The Secretary shall invest the amounts
appropriated to each of the Trust Funds under subsection (a)
in accordance with the currently applicable investment policy
for such Trust Fund.
SEC. 4. TIMING.
(a) Actions by the Secretary.--The Secretary shall take
such actions as are necessary to accomplish the restoration
described in section 3 not later than 120 days after the date
of the enactment of this Act.
(b) Action by the Commissioner.--The Commissioner of Social
Security shall cooperate with the Secretary to the extent
necessary to enable the Secretary to meet the requirements of
subsection (a).
SEC. 5. CONGRESSIONAL NOTIFICATION.
Not later than 30 days after the Secretary takes the last
action necessary to accomplish the restoration described in
section 3, the Secretary shall notify each House of the
Congress in writing of the actions so taken.
The Senate bill was ordered to be read a third time, was read the
third time, and passed, and a motion to reconsider was laid on the
table.
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