[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2008, Book I)]
[May 7, 2008]
[Pages 653-654]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Message to the Congress Transmitting the Czech Republic-United States 
Social Security Agreement
May 7, 2008

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 Czech Republic on Social Security, which consists of 
two separate instruments: a principal agreement and an administrative 
arrangement. The Agreement was signed in Prague on September 7, 2007.
    The United States-Czech Republic Agreement is similar in objective 
to the social security agreements already in force with Australia, 
Austria, Belgium, Canada, Chile, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, 
Ireland, Italy, Japan, Korea, Luxembourg, 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 lost benefit 
protection that can occur when workers divide their careers between two 
countries. The United States-Czech Republic Agreement contains all 
provisions mandated by section 233 and other provisions that 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 related administrative 
arrangement. Annexed to this report is the report required by section 
233(e)(1) of the Social Security Act, which describes 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 State and the Social Security Administration have recommended the 
Agreement and related documents to me.
    I commend to the Congress the United States-Czech Republic Social 
Security Agreement and related documents.

                                                          George W. Bush

 The White House,

 May 7, 2008.

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