[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 39, Number 6 (Monday, February 10, 2003)]
[Pages 158-159]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
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 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

[[Page 159]]

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.