I 
116TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 6356 
To protect our Social Security system and improve benefits for current and 
future generations. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 23, 2020 
Mr. LARSON of Connecticut (for himself, Ms. PINGREE, Mrs. TRAHAN, Mr. 
CLAY, Mr. RUSH, Ms. FRANKEL, Mr. SABLAN, Mr. GONZALEZ of Texas, 
Mr. DEUTCH, Mr. MICHAEL
F. DOYLE
of Pennsylvania, Mr. 
LOWENTHAL, Mrs. NAPOLITANO, Mr. MCNERNEY, Mr. CARSON of Indi-
ana, Mr. COHEN, Ms. LEE of California, Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of 
Pennsylvania, Mr. HIGGINS of New York, Mr. KENNEDY, Mr. DANNY K. 
DAVIS of Illinois, Ms. BARRAGA´N, Mr. PASCRELL, Ms. SA´NCHEZ, Ms. 
JUDY CHU of California, Mr. KILDEE, Mr. BLUMENAUER, Ms. WILD, Mr. 
PERLMUTTER, Mr. KHANNA, Ms. BLUNT ROCHESTER, Mrs. HAYES, Ms. 
MOORE, Mr. GRIJALVA, Mr. CA´RDENAS, Mr. BISHOP of Georgia, Mr. 
VARGAS, Mr. MCGOVERN, Mr. RASKIN, Mr. POCAN, Ms. NORTON, Mr. 
THOMPSON of California, Ms. JAYAPAL, Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN, Ms. 
HAALAND, Mr. RYAN, Ms. JOHNSON of Texas, Ms. SEWELL of Alabama, 
and Mr. COURTNEY) introduced the following bill; which was referred to 
the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee 
on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by 
the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall with-
in the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To protect our Social Security system and improve benefits 
for current and future generations. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Emergency Social Se-
curity Benefits Improvement Act’’. 
SEC. 2. TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
The table of contents for this Act is as follows: 
Sec. 1. Short title. 
Sec. 2. Table of contents. 
Sec. 3. Across-the-board benefit increase. 
Sec. 4. Increase in minimum benefit for lifetime low earners based on years in 
the workforce. 
Sec. 5. Increase in threshold amounts and rate for inclusion of Social Security 
benefits in income. 
Sec. 6. Extension of child’s benefit for full-time post-secondary school students 
under age 23. 
Sec. 7. Improving Social Security benefits for widows and widowers in two-in-
come households. 
Sec. 8. Increasing access to benefits for children who live with grandparents or 
other relatives. 
Sec. 9. Holding SSI, Medicaid, and CHIP beneficiaries harmless. 
Sec. 10. Expedited adjustment of underpayments. 
Sec. 11. Appropriation of funds. 
SEC. 3. ACROSS-THE-BOARD BENEFIT INCREASE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 215(a)(1)(A)(i) of the So-
cial Security Act (42 U.S.C. 415(a)(1)(A)(i)) is amended 
by striking ‘‘90 percent’’ and inserting ‘‘93 percent’’. 
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—The amendment made by 
subsection (a) shall apply with respect to monthly 
insurance benefits payable for months in calendar 
year 2020. 
(2) RECOMPUTATION OF PRIMARY INSURANCE 
AMOUNTS.—Notwithstanding section 215(f) of the 
Social Security Act, the Commissioner of Social Se-
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curity shall recompute primary insurance amounts 
to the extent necessary— 
(A) to carry out the amendments made by 
this section; and 
(B) to account for the nonapplication of 
such amendments after calendar year 2020. 
(c) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—For purposes of ap-
plying subparagraphs (A) and (B) of section 215(i)(1) of 
the Social Security Act in any calendar year, nothing in 
this Act shall be considered a general benefit increase 
under title II of such Act. 
SEC. 4. INCREASE IN MINIMUM BENEFIT FOR LIFETIME 
LOW EARNERS BASED ON YEARS IN THE 
WORKFORCE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 215(a)(1) of the Social 
Security Act (42 U.S.C. 415(a)(1)) is amended— 
(1) by redesignating subparagraph (D) as sub-
paragraph (E); and 
(2) by inserting after subparagraph (C) the fol-
lowing new subparagraph: 
‘‘(D)(i) Effective with respect to monthly insurance 
benefits payable for months in calendar year 2020, no pri-
mary insurance amount computed under subparagraph 
(A) may be less than the greater of— 
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‘‘(I) the minimum monthly amount computed 
under subparagraph (C); or 
‘‘(II) in the case of an individual who has more 
than 10 years of work (as defined in clause (iv)(I)), 
the alternative minimum amount determined under 
clause (ii). 
‘‘(ii)(I) The alternative minimum amount determined 
under this clause is the applicable percentage of 1⁄12 of 
the poverty guideline for 2019. 
‘‘(II) For purposes of subclause (I), the applicable 
percentage is the percentage specified in connection with 
the number of years of work, as set forth in the following 
table: 
‘‘If the number of years 
The applicable 
of work is: 
percentage is: 
11 ......................................................................................
6.25 percent
12 ......................................................................................
12.50 percent
13 ......................................................................................
18.75 percent
14 ......................................................................................
25.00 percent
15 ......................................................................................
31.25 percent
16 ......................................................................................
37.50 percent
17 ......................................................................................
43.75 percent
18 ......................................................................................
50.00 percent
19 ......................................................................................
56.25 percent
20 ......................................................................................
62.50 percent
21 ......................................................................................
68.75 percent
22 ......................................................................................
75.00 percent
23 ......................................................................................
81.25 percent
24 ......................................................................................
87.50 percent
25 ......................................................................................
93.75 percent
26 ......................................................................................
100.00 percent
27 ......................................................................................
106.25 percent
28 ......................................................................................
112.50 percent
29 ......................................................................................
118.75 percent
30 or more ........................................................................
125.00 percent. 
‘‘(iii) For purposes of this subparagraph— 
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‘‘(I) the term ‘year of work’ means, with re-
spect to an individual, a year to which 4 quarters of 
coverage have been credited based on such individ-
ual’s wages and self-employment income; and 
‘‘(II) the term ‘poverty guideline for 2019’ 
means the annual poverty guideline for 2019 (as up-
dated annually in the Federal Register by the De-
partment of Health and Human Services under the 
authority of section 673(2) of the Omnibus Budget 
Reconciliation Act of 1981) as applicable to a single 
individual.’’. 
(b) RECOMPUTATION
OF
PRIMARY
INSURANCE 
AMOUNTS.—Notwithstanding section 215(f) of the Social 
Security Act, the Commissioner of Social Security shall 
recompute primary insurance amounts to the extent nec-
essary— 
(1) to carry out the amendments made by this 
section; and 
(2) to account for the nonapplication of such 
amendments after calendar year 2020. 
(c) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—Section 209(k)(1) 
of such Act (42 U.S.C. 409(k)(1)) is amended by inserting 
‘‘215(a)(1)(E),’’ after ‘‘215(a)(1)(D),’’. 
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but does not file a joint return for such year, 
and 
‘‘(B) does not live apart from his spouse at 
all times during the taxable year.’’. 
(c) TRANSFERS TO TRUST FUNDS.— 
(1) HOSPITAL INSURANCE TRUST FUND HELD 
HARMLESS.—Of the total revenue from taxation of 
social security benefits, there are appropriated to the 
Federal Hospital Insurance Trust Fund such 
amounts as would be transferred to such fund under 
section 121(e) of the Social Security Amendments of 
1983 (42 U.S.C. 401 note) and section 86 of such 
Code as such sections were in effect on the day be-
fore the date of the enactment of this Act, at such 
times and in such manner as would be provided 
therein. 
(2) TRANSFERS TO PAYOR FUNDS.—Of the bal-
ance of the total revenue from taxation of social se-
curity benefits remaining after appropriations under 
paragraph (1) have been made, there are appro-
priated to each payor fund amounts equivalent to 
the portion of such balance equal to a fraction— 
(A) the numerator of which is the amount 
equivalent to the net revenues received in the 
Treasury attributable to the application of sec-
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tions 86 and 871(a)(3) of such Code to pay-
ments from such payor fund made in taxable 
years beginning during calendar year 2019; and 
(B) the denominator of which is the total 
revenue from taxation of social security bene-
fits. 
(3) TRANSFERS.—The amounts appropriated 
by paragraph (2) to any payor fund shall be trans-
ferred from time to time (but not less frequently 
than quarterly) from the general fund of the Treas-
ury on the basis of estimates made by the Secretary 
of the Treasury of the amounts referred to in such 
paragraph. Any such quarterly payment shall be 
made on the first day of such quarter and shall take 
into account social security benefits estimated to be 
received during such quarter. Proper adjustments 
shall be made in the amounts subsequently trans-
ferred to the extent prior estimates were in excess 
of or less than the amounts required to be trans-
ferred. 
(4) DEFINITIONS.—For purposes of this sub-
section— 
(A) TOTAL REVENUE FROM TAXATION OF 
SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS.—The term ‘‘total 
revenue from taxation of social security bene-
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fits’’ means the amount equivalent to the net 
revenues received in the Treasury attributable 
to the application of sections 86 and 871(a)(3) 
of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to pay-
ments from any payor fund made in taxable 
years beginning during calendar year 2019. 
(B) PAYOR
FUND.—The term ‘‘payor 
fund’’ means any trust fund or account from 
which payments of social security benefits are 
made. 
(C) SOCIAL
SECURITY
BENEFITS.—The 
term ‘‘social security benefits’’ has the meaning 
given such term by section 86(d)(1) of the In-
ternal Revenue Code of 1986. 
(5) CONFORMING RULE.—Section 121(e) of the 
Social Security Amendments of 1983 (42 U.S.C. 
401 note) shall not apply with respect to net reve-
nues received in the Treasury attributable to the ap-
plication of sections 86 and 871(a)(3) of the Inter-
nal Revenue Code of 1986 to payments from any 
payor fund made in taxable years beginning during 
calendar year 2019. 
(d) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 
this section shall apply to taxable years beginning in cal-
endar year 2019. 
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SEC. 6. EXTENSION OF CHILD’S BENEFIT FOR FULL-TIME 
POST-SECONDARY 
SCHOOL 
STUDENTS 
UNDER AGE 23. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 202(d)(1)(B) of the So-
cial Security Act (42 U.S.C. 402(d)(1)(B)) is amended to 
read as follows: 
‘‘(B) at the time such application was filed 
was unmarried and— 
‘‘(i) had not attained the age of 18, 
‘‘(ii) was a full-time elementary or 
secondary school student and had not at-
tained the age of 22, 
‘‘(iii) was a full-time post-secondary 
school student and had not attained the 
age of 23, or 
‘‘(iv) is under a disability (as defined 
in section 223(d)) which began before he 
attained the age of 22, and’’. 
(b) DEFINITION OF FULL-TIME POST-SECONDARY 
SCHOOL STUDENT.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Section 202(d)(7) of such 
Act (42 U.S.C. 402(d)(7)) is amended— 
(A) in subparagraph (A)— 
(i) by inserting ‘‘and a ‘full-time post- 
secondary school student’ is an individual 
who is in full-time attendance as a student 
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at a post-secondary educational institu-
tion’’ before ‘‘, as determined by the Com-
missioner’’; 
(ii) by inserting ‘‘or a ‘full-time post- 
secondary school student’ ’’ before ‘‘if he is 
paid by his employer’’; 
(iii) by inserting ‘‘or a post-secondary 
educational institution, as applicable,’’ be-
fore ‘‘at the request’’; 
(iv) by inserting ‘‘or a ‘full-time post- 
secondary school student’ ’’ before ‘‘for the 
purpose of this section’’; and 
(v) by inserting ‘‘or a full-time post- 
secondary school student’’ before ‘‘shall be 
deemed’’; and 
(B) in subparagraph (B)— 
(i) by inserting ‘‘or a full-time post- 
secondary school student’’ after ‘‘student’’; 
(ii) by inserting ‘‘or a post-secondary 
educational institution, as applicable’’ be-
fore ‘‘at which he has been’’; and 
(iii) by striking ‘‘an elementary or sec-
ondary school’’ in each of the second and 
third places in which such term appears 
and inserting ‘‘such a school’’. 
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(2) TRANSITION FROM ELEMENTARY OR SEC-
ONDARY SCHOOL.—Section 202(d)(7)(B) of such Act 
(42 U.S.C. 402(d)(7)(B)) is amended by adding at 
the end the following sentence: ‘‘An individual who 
has been in full-time attendance at an elementary or 
secondary school shall, during a succeeding period of 
nonattendance at such school, be deemed to be a 
full-time secondary-school student if (i) such period 
is 4 calendar months or less, and (ii) the individual 
shows to the satisfaction of the Commissioner that 
he intends to be in full-time attendance at a post- 
secondary educational institution immediately fol-
lowing such period.’’ 
(c) DEFINITION OF POST-SECONDARY EDUCATIONAL 
INSTITUTION.—Section 202(d)(7)(C) of such Act (42 
U.S.C. 402(d)(7)(C)) is amended by adding at the end the 
following: 
‘‘(iii) A ‘post-secondary educational 
institution’ is an institution described in 
section 102 of the Higher Education Act 
of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1002).’’. 
(d) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.— 
(1) Section 202(d)(1)(E) of such Act (42 
U.S.C. 402(d)(1)(E)) is amended by inserting ‘‘or a 
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full-time post-secondary school student’’ after ‘‘stu-
dent’’. 
(2) Section 202(d)(1)(F) of such Act (42 
U.S.C. 402(d)(1)(F)) is amended by striking ‘‘the 
earlier of—’’ and all that follows through ‘‘the age 
of 19,’’ and inserting the following: ‘‘the earlier of— 
‘‘(i) the first month during no part of 
which the child is a full-time elementary or 
secondary school student or a full-time 
post-secondary school student, 
‘‘(ii) the month in which the child at-
tains the age of 22, but only if the child 
is not a full-time post-secondary school 
student during any part of such month, or 
‘‘(iii) the month in which the child at-
tains the age of 23,’’. 
(3) Section 202(d)(1)(G) of such Act (42 
U.S.C. 402(d)(1)(G)) is amended by striking ‘‘(if 
later)’’ and all that follows through the ‘‘the age of 
19,’’ and inserting the following: ‘‘(if later) the ear-
lier of— 
‘‘(i) the first month during no part of 
which the child is a full-time elementary or 
secondary school student or a full-time 
post-secondary school student, 
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‘‘(ii) the month in which the child at-
tains the age of 22, but only if the child 
is not a full-time post-secondary school 
student during any part of such month, or 
‘‘(iii) the month in which the child at-
tains the age of 23,’’. 
(4) Section 202(d)(6)(A) of such Act (42 
U.S.C. 402(d)(6)(A)) is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(A)(i) is a full-time elementary or sec-
ondary school student and has not attained the 
age of 22, 
‘‘(ii) is a full-time post-secondary school 
student and has not attained the age of 23, or 
‘‘(iii) is under a disability (as defined in 
section 223(d)) and has not attained the age of 
22, or’’. 
(5) Section 202(d)(6)(D) of such Act (42 
U.S.C. 402(d)(6)(D)) is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(D) the earlier of— 
‘‘(i) the first month during no part of 
which the child is a full-time elementary or 
secondary school student or a full-time 
post-secondary school student, 
‘‘(ii) the month in which the child at-
tains the age of 22, but only if the child 
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is not a full-time post-secondary school 
student during any part of such month, or 
‘‘(iii) the month in which the child at-
tains the age of 23, 
but only if he is not under a disability (as so 
defined) in such earlier month; or’’. 
(6) Section 202(d)(6)(E) of such Act (42 
U.S.C. 402(d)(6)(E)) is amended by striking ‘‘(if 
later)’’ and all that follows to the end and inserting 
the following: ‘‘(if later) the earlier of— 
‘‘(i) the first month during no part of 
which the child is a full-time elementary or 
secondary school student or a full-time 
post-secondary school student, 
‘‘(ii) the month in which the child at-
tains the age of 22, but only if the child 
is not a full-time post-secondary school 
student during any part of such month, or 
‘‘(iii) the month in which the child at-
tains the age of 23.’’. 
(7) Section 202(d)(7)(D) of such Act (42 
U.S.C. 402(d)(7)(D)) is amended— 
(A) by striking ‘‘A child who’’ and insert-
ing ‘‘(i) A child who’’; 
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(B) by striking ‘‘age 19’’ and inserting 
‘‘age 22’’; 
(C) by striking ‘‘clause (i) of paragraph 
(1)(B)’’ and inserting ‘‘clause (ii) of paragraph 
(1)(B)’’; and 
(D) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(ii) A child who attains age 23 at a time 
when he is a full-time post-secondary school 
student (as defined in subparagraph (A) of this 
paragraph and without application of subpara-
graph (B) of such paragraph) but has not (at 
such time) completed the requirements for, or 
received, a diploma or equivalent certificate 
from a post-secondary educational institution 
(as defined in subparagraph (C)(iii)) shall be 
deemed (for purposes of determining whether 
his entitlement to benefits under this subsection 
has terminated under paragraph (1)(F) and for 
purposes of determining his initial entitlement 
to such benefits under clause (iii) of paragraph 
(1)(B)) not to have attained such age until the 
first day of the first month following the end of 
the quarter or semester in which he is enrolled 
at such time (or, if the post-secondary edu-
cational institution (as so defined) in which he 
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is enrolled is not operated on a quarter or se-
mester system, until the first day of the first 
month following the completion of the course in 
which he is so enrolled or until the first day of 
the third month beginning after such time, 
whichever first occurs).’’. 
(e) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 
this section shall apply with respect to applications for 
child’s insurance benefits filed in calendar year 2020 and 
with respect to individuals entitled to such benefits during 
any month of such calendar year, except that such amend-
ments shall not apply for purposes of determining con-
tinuing eligibility for child’s insurance benefits for any 
month after such calendar year. 
SEC. 7. IMPROVING SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS FOR WID-
OWS AND WIDOWERS IN TWO-INCOME HOUSE-
HOLDS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.— 
(1) WIDOWS.—Section 202(e) of the Social Se-
curity Act (42 U.S.C. 402(e)) is amended— 
(A) in paragraph (1)— 
(i) in subparagraph (B), by inserting 
‘‘and’’ at the end; 
(ii) in subparagraph (C)(iii), by strik-
ing ‘‘and’’ at the end; 
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(iii) by striking subparagraph (D); 
(iv) by redesignating subparagraphs 
(E) and (F) as subparagraphs (D) and 
(E), respectively; and 
(v) in the flush matter following sub-
paragraph (E)(ii), as so redesignated, by 
striking ‘‘becomes entitled to an old-age in-
surance benefit’’ and all that follows 
through ‘‘such deceased individual,’’; 
(B) by striking subparagraph (A) in para-
graph (2) and inserting the following: 
‘‘(2)(A) Except as provided in subsection 
(k)(5), subsection (q), and subparagraph (D) of this 
paragraph, such widow’s insurance benefit for each 
month shall be equal to the greater of— 
‘‘(i) the primary insurance amount (as 
determined for purposes of this subsection 
after application of subparagraphs (B) and 
(C)) of such deceased individual, or 
‘‘(ii) subject to paragraph (9), in the 
case of a fully insured widow or surviving 
divorced wife, 75 percent of the sum of any 
old-age or disability insurance benefit for 
which the widow or the surviving divorced 
wife is entitled for such month and the pri-
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mary insurance amount (as determined for 
purposes of this subsection after applica-
tion of subparagraphs (B) and (C)) of such 
deceased individual.’’; 
(C) in paragraph (5)— 
(i) in subparagraph (A), by striking 
‘‘paragraph (1)(F)’’ and inserting ‘‘para-
graph (1)(E)’’; and 
(ii) in subparagraph (B), by striking 
‘‘paragraph 
(1)(F)(i)’’ 
and 
inserting 
‘‘paragraph (1)(E)(i)’’; and 
(D) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(9) For purposes of paragraph (2)(A)(ii), the 
amount determined under such paragraph shall not 
exceed the primary insurance amount for such 
month of a hypothetical individual— 
‘‘(A) who became entitled to old-age insur-
ance benefits upon attaining early retirement 
age during the month in which the deceased in-
dividual referred to in paragraph (1) became 
entitled to old-age or disability insurance bene-
fits, or died (before becoming entitled to such 
benefits), and 
‘‘(B) to whom wages and self-employment 
income were credited in each of such hypo-
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thetical individual’s elapsed years (within the 
meaning of section 215(b)(2)(B)(iii)) in an 
amount equal to the national average wage 
index (as described in section 209(k)(1)) for 
each such year.’’. 
(2) WIDOWERS.—Section 202(f) of the Social 
Security Act (42 U.S.C. 402(f)) is amended— 
(A) in paragraph (1)— 
(i) in subparagraph (B), by inserting 
‘‘and’’ at the end; 
(ii) in subparagraph (C)(iii), by strik-
ing ‘‘and’’ at the end; 
(iii) by striking subparagraph (D); 
(iv) by redesignating subparagraphs 
(E) and (F) as subparagraphs (D) and 
(E), respectively; and 
(v) in the flush matter following sub-
paragraph (E)(ii), as so redesignated, by 
striking ‘‘or becomes entitled to an old-age 
insurance benefit’’ and all that follows 
through ‘‘such deceased individual,’’; 
(B) by striking subparagraph (A) in para-
graph (2) and inserting the following: 
‘‘(2)(A) Except as provided in subsection 
(k)(5), subsection (q), and subparagraph (D) of this 
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paragraph, such widower’s insurance benefit for 
each month shall be equal to the greater of— 
‘‘(i) the primary insurance amount (as 
determined for purposes of this subsection 
after application of subparagraphs (B) and 
(C)) of such deceased individual, or 
‘‘(ii) subject to paragraph (9), in the 
case of a fully insured widower or surviving 
divorced husband, 75 percent of the sum of 
any old-age or disability insurance benefit 
for which the widower or the surviving di-
vorced husband is entitled for such month 
and the primary insurance amount (as de-
termined for purposes of this subsection 
after application of subparagraphs (B) and 
(C)) of such deceased individual.’’; 
(C) in paragraph (5)— 
(i) in subparagraph (A), by striking 
‘‘paragraph (1)(F)’’ and inserting ‘‘para-
graph (1)(E)’’; and 
(ii) in subparagraph (B), by striking 
‘‘paragraph 
(1)(F)(i)’’ 
and 
inserting 
‘‘paragraph (1)(E)(i)’’; and 
(D) by adding at the end the following: 
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‘‘(9) For purposes of paragraph (2)(A)(ii), the 
amount determined under such paragraph shall not 
exceed the primary insurance amount for such 
month of a hypothetical individual— 
‘‘(A) who became entitled to old-age insur-
ance benefits upon attaining early retirement 
age during the month in which the deceased in-
dividual referred to in paragraph (1) became 
entitled to old-age or disability insurance bene-
fits, or died (before becoming entitled to such 
benefits), and 
‘‘(B) to whom wages and self-employment 
income were credited in each of such hypo-
thetical individual’s elapsed years (within the 
meaning of section 215(b)(2)(B)(iii)) in an 
amount equal to the national average wage 
index (as described in section 209(k)(1)) for 
each such year.’’. 
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—Section 209(k)(1) 
of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 409(k)(1)), as 
amended by section 103(c), is further amended by insert-
ing ‘‘202(e)(9), 202(f)(9),’’ after ‘‘sections’’. 
(c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 
this section shall apply only with respect to widow’s and 
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widower’s insurance benefits payable for months in cal-
endar year 2020. 
SEC. 8. INCREASING ACCESS TO BENEFITS FOR CHILDREN 
WHO LIVE WITH GRANDPARENTS OR OTHER 
RELATIVES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Title II of the Social Security Act 
(42 U.S.C. 401 et seq.) is amended— 
(1) in section 202(d)— 
(A) in paragraph (1)(C), by inserting ‘‘ex-
cept as provided in paragraph (9),’’ before ‘‘was 
dependent’’; and 
(B) by amending paragraph (9) to read as 
follows: 
‘‘(9)(A) In the case of a child who is the child of an 
individual under clause (3) of the first sentence of section 
216(e) and is not a child of such individual under clause 
(1) or (2) of such first sentence, the criteria specified in 
subparagraph (B) shall apply instead of the criteria speci-
fied in subparagraph (C) of paragraph (1). 
‘‘(B) The criteria of this subparagraph are that— 
‘‘(i) the child has been living with such indi-
vidual in the United States for a period of not less 
than 12 months; 
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‘‘(ii) the child has been receiving not less than 
1⁄2 of the child’s support from such individual for a 
period of not less than 12 months; and 
‘‘(iii) the period during which the child was liv-
ing with such individual began before the child at-
tained age 18. 
‘‘(C) In the case of a child who is less than 12 months 
old, such child shall be deemed to meet the requirements 
of subparagraph (B) if, on the date the child attains 1 
year of age, such child has lived with such individual in 
the United States and received at least 1⁄2 of the child’s 
support from such individual for substantially all of the 
period which began on the date of such child’s birth.’’; 
and 
(2) in section 216(e), in the first sentence— 
(A) 
by 
striking 
‘‘grandchild 
or 
stepgrandchild of an individual or his spouse’’ 
and inserting ‘‘grandchild, stepgrandchild, or 
other first-degree, second-degree, third-degree, 
fourth-degree, or fifth-degree relative of an indi-
vidual or the individual’s spouse’’; 
(B) by striking ‘‘was no natural or adop-
tive parent’’ and inserting ‘‘is no living natural 
or adoptive parent’’; 
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(C) by striking ‘‘was under a disability’’ 
and inserting ‘‘is under a disability’’; 
(D) by striking ‘‘living at the time’’ and all 
that follows through ‘‘, or (B)’’ and inserting ‘‘, 
(B)’’; and 
(E) by inserting ‘‘, or (C) a court of com-
petent jurisdiction has issued an order granting 
custody of such person to the individual or the 
individual’s spouse’’ before the first period. 
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.—Section 202(d)(1) 
of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 402(d)(1)) is amend-
ed— 
(1) by striking ‘‘subparagraphs (A), (B), and 
(C)’’ and inserting ‘‘subparagraphs (A) and (B) and 
subparagraph (C) or paragraph (9) (as applicable)’’; 
and 
(2) by striking ‘‘subparagraphs (B) and (C)’’ 
and inserting ‘‘subparagraph (B) and subparagraph 
(C) or paragraph (9) (as applicable)’’. 
(c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 
this section shall apply with respect to applications for 
child’s insurance benefits filed in calendar year 2020, ex-
cept that such amendments shall not apply for purposes 
of determining continuing eligibility for child’s insurance 
benefits for any month after such calendar year. 
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