I
107TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. R. 4671
To amend title II of the Social Security Act to improve benefits for aged
survivors, disabled survivors, and divorced spouses, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
MAY 7, 2002
Mr. MATSUI (for himself, Mr. RANGEL, Ms. DELAURO, Mr. DOGGETT, Mr.
CARDIN, Mr. POMEROY, Mr. BECERRA, Mr. STARK, Mr. LEVIN, Mr.
MCDERMOTT, Mr. KLECZKA, Mr. LEWIS of Georgia, Mr. NEAL of Massa-
chusetts, Mr. MCNULTY, Mrs. THURMAN, Mr. HOLDEN, Mr. MALONEY
of Connecticut, Mr. PALLONE, Ms. BROWN of Florida, Ms. KAPTUR, Mr.
PASCRELL, Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, Mr. FILNER, Mr. BROWN of Ohio, Mrs.
CAPPS, Mr. KUCINICH, Mr. FARR of California, Mr. MURTHA, Mr.
SANDLIN, Mr. KILDEE, Mr. MENENDEZ, Ms. MILLENDER-MCDONALD,
Mr. KIND, Mr. RODRIGUEZ, Mr. NADLER, Mr. KANJORSKI, Ms. LEE, Ms.
NORTON, Ms. BALDWIN, Ms. KILPATRICK, Mrs. JONES of Ohio, Mr.
THOMPSON of California, Ms. BERKLEY, Ms. LOFGREN, Ms. WOOLSEY,
Mrs. LOWEY, Ms. WATSON of California, Mr. MEEHAN, Ms. MCKINNEY,
Mr. DINGELL, Mr. HINCHEY, Ms. MCCOLLUM, Ms. SLAUGHTER, Ms.
MCCARTHY of Missouri, Mr. DAVIS of Illinois, Mr. BENTSEN, Mrs. CLAY-
TON, Mr. WAXMAN, Mr. BAIRD, Mrs. DAVIS of California, and Mr.
BONIOR) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Energy
and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speak-
er, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the ju-
risdiction of the committee concerned
A BILL
To amend title II of the Social Security Act to improve
benefits for aged survivors, disabled survivors, and di-
vorced spouses, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Social Security Wid-
ow’s Benefit Guarantee Act of 2002’’.
SEC. 2. INCREASE IN WIDOW’S AND WIDOWER’S INSURANCE
BENEFITS.
(a) 
WIDOW’S
INSURANCE
BENEFITS.—Section
202(e) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 402(e)) is
amended by adding at the end the following new para-
graph:
‘‘(10)(A) In any case in which the amount of a wid-
ow’s insurance benefit (as determined under the preceding
provisions of this section, taking into account applicable
reductions under this section) for the application month
of the widow (or surviving divorced wife) is less than the
minimum benefit amount for such month determined
under subparagraph (C), the amount of such benefit for
such month and each succeeding month shall be increased
to such minimum benefit amount (or the amount most re-
cently established in lieu thereof under section 215(i)).
‘‘(B) For purposes of this paragraph, the term ‘appli-
cation month’ of a widow (or surviving divorced wife)
means the month of the filing of her application for wid-
ow’s insurance benefits.
‘‘(C) For purposes of subparagraph (A), the min-
imum benefit amount determined under this subparagraph
for the application month is an amount equal to the lesser
of—
‘‘(i) 75 percent of the sum of—
‘‘(I) the imputed deceased individual’s ben-
efit for such month, as determined under sub-
paragraph (D) or (E) (as applicable), and
‘‘(II) the imputed survivor benefit for such
month, as determined under subparagraph (F),
or
‘‘(ii) the applicable increased benefit cap deter-
mined under subparagraph (G) in connection with
the widow’s insurance benefit.
‘‘(D)(i) For purposes of subparagraph (C)(i)(I), if the
deceased individual died in a month for which he was not
entitled to any benefit under this title based on his wages
or self-employment income or the wages and self-employ-
ment income of the widow (or surviving divorced wife), the
imputed deceased individual’s benefit for the application
month is the sum of—
‘‘(I) the imputed old-age insurance benefit (de-
termined under clause (ii)) of the deceased indi-
vidual for the application month (if any), and