[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George H. W. Bush (1992-1993, Book II)]
[September 9, 1992]
[Pages 1523-1524]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Message to the Congress Transmitting the Ireland-United States Social 
Security Agreement
September 9, 1992

To the Congress of the United States:
    Pursuant to section 233(e)(1) of the Social Security Act, as amended 
by the Social Security Amendments of 1977 (Public Law 95-216, 42 U.S.C. 
433(e)(1)), I transmit herewith the Agreement between the United States 
of America and Ireland on Social Security, which consists of two 
separate instruments: a principal agreement and an administrative 
arrangement. The agreement was signed at Washington on April 14, 1992.
    The United States-Ireland agreement contains all provisions mandated 
by section 233 and other provisions that I deem appropriate to carry out 
the provisions of section 233, pursuant to section 233(c)(4). It is 
similar in objective to the social security agreements already in force 
with Austria, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, 
Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. 
Such bilateral agreements provide for limited coordination between the 
United States and foreign social security systems to eliminate dual 
social security coverage and taxation, and to help prevent the loss of 
benefit protection that can occur when workers divide their careers 
between two countries.

[[Page 1524]]

    I also transmit for the information of the Congress a report 
prepared by the Department of Health and Human Services explaining the 
key points of the agreement, along with a paragraph-by-paragraph 
explanation of the provisions of the principal agreement and the related 
administrative arrangement. Annexed to this report is the report 
required by section 233(e)(1) of the Social Security Act on the effect 
of the agreement on income and expenditures of the U.S. Social Security 
program and the number of individuals affected by the agreement. The 
Department of Health and Human Services has recommended the agreement 
and related documents to me.
    I commend the United States-Ireland Social Security Agreement and 
related documents.

                                                             George Bush

The White House,
September 9, 1992.