[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2003, Book I)]
[February 5, 2003]
[Pages 128-129]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Message to the Congress Transmitting the Norway-United States Agreement 
on Social Security
February 5, 2003

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 the Kingdom of Norway on Social Security, with a related 
administrative agreement, both signed at Oslo on November 30, 2001. This 
revised Agreement is intended to modify certain provisions of the 
original United States and Norwegian Agreement, which was signed in 
Washington on January 13, 1983, and, upon its entry into force, will 
replace the 1983 Agreement.
    The revised United States-Norwegian Agreement is similar in 
objective to the

[[Page 129]]

other social security agreements already in force with Austria, Belgium, 
Canada, Chile, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Korea, 
Luxembourg, The Netherlands, 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 lost benefit protection that can occur when workers 
divide their careers between two countries. The revised United States-
Norwegian Agreement contains all provisions mandated by section 233 and 
other provisions, which I deem appropriate to carry out the purposes of 
section 233, pursuant to section 233(c)(4).
    I also transmit for the information of the Congress a report 
prepared by the Social Security Administration explaining the key points 
of the Agreement, along with a paragraph-by-paragraph explanation of the 
provisions of the principal agreement and the administrative agreement. 
Annexed to this report is the report required by section 233(e)(1) of 
the Social Security Act, a report on the effect of the Agreement on 
income and expenditures of the United States Social Security program and 
the number of individuals affected by the Agreement. The Department of 
State and the Social Security Administration have recommended the 
Agreement and related documents to me.
    I commend the United States-Norwegian Social Security Agreement and 
related documents.

                                                          George W. Bush

 The White House,

 February 5, 2003.