[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 2]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 2680]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



  INTRODUCTION OF THE SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS PROTECTION ACT OF 2000

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                           HON. PATSY T. MINK

                               of hawaii

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 9, 2000

  Mrs. MINK of Hawaii. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce a bill 
that is very important to me, to my constituents in Hawaii, and to the 
people of the United States of America--the Social Security Benefits 
Protection Act.
  Under current law, the Social Security Administration does not pay 
benefits for the last month of life. It doesn't matter what day of the 
month the retiree dies. Even if a Social Security beneficiary dies on 
the very last day of the month, the surviving spouse or family members 
must send back the Social Security check for that month.
  This is an unfair and heartless rule.
  When a loved one dies, there are expenses that the family must take 
care of:
  There are final bills to pay. There are utility bills that need to be 
paid. There is rent or a mortgage that must be taken care of, and 
oftentimes, there are final health expenses.
  Companies will not cancel these bills for that final month of life. 
These expenses must still be paid. So why is Social Security telling 
the family that the final month of Social Security income must be 
returned? This money is needed for these expenses.
  My bill corrects this unfair rule in a simple and straightforward 
way:
  It says that if you die after the 15th of the month, your surviving 
spouse or the family estate will get the Social Security check for that 
full month.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me and support the Social 
Security Benefits Protection Act.

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