I 
108TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 976
To amend title II of the Social Security Act to provide that the waiting 
period for disability insurance benefits shall not be applicable in the 
case of a disabled individual suffering from a terminal illness. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 27, 2003
Mr. COSTELLO (for himself, Mr. TOWNS, Mr. BROWN of Ohio, Mr. HOLDEN, 
Mr. PAUL, Ms. KAPTUR, Mr. ACEVEDO-VILA´, Mr. GUTIERREZ, Ms. NOR-
TON, Ms. DELAURO, Mr. JOHN, Mr. RUSH, Mr. CARSON of Oklahoma, 
Mr. FROST, Mr. CLAY, Mr. MCNULTY, Mr. ACKERMAN, Ms. WATSON, 
Ms. BORDALLO, Mr. GRIJALVA, Mr. EVANS, Mr. GREEN of Wisconsin, 
Mr. LIPINSKI, Mr. GREEN of Texas, Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, Mr. KILDEE, Mr. 
FORD, Mrs. NAPOLITANO, and Ms. WOOLSEY) introduced the following 
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means 
A BILL 
To amend title II of the Social Security Act to provide 
that the waiting period for disability insurance benefits 
shall not be applicable in the case of a disabled individual 
suffering from a terminal illness.
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 ‘‘Terminally Ill Dis-
ability Beneficiary Act of 2003’’.
SEC. 2. EXCEPTION FROM WAITING PERIOD FOR DIS-
ABILITY INSURANCE BENEFITS OF INDIVID-
UALS SUFFERING FROM TERMINAL ILLNESS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The first sentence of section 
223(a)(1) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 423(a)(1)) 
is amended, in clause (ii) thereof—
(1) by inserting ‘‘(I)’’ after ‘‘but only’’; and 
(2) by inserting ‘‘or (II) if he has a terminal ill-
ness (as defined in paragraph (3)) and his applica-
tion for such benefits is filed during his waiting pe-
riod (as so defined) which would otherwise be appli-
cable under clause (i),’’ after ‘‘the first month in 
which he is under such disability,’’. 
(b) DEFINITION OF TERMINAL ILLNESS.—Section 
223(a) of such Act is amended further by adding at the 
end the following new paragraph: 
‘‘(3) As used in this subsection, the term ‘terminal 
illness’ means, in the case of any individual, a medically 
determinable physical impairment which is expected to re-
sult in the death of such individual within the next 6 
months.’’. 
(c) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS RELATING TO RET-
ROACTIVE BENEFITS.—Section 223(b) of such Act (42 
U.S.C. 423(b)) is amended—
(1) by inserting ‘‘(1)’’ after ‘‘(b)’’;
(2) by striking ‘‘An individual’’ and inserting 
the following: 
‘‘(2)(A) An individual’’; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following new sub-
paragraph: 
‘‘(B) In any case in which the application for benefits 
under this section is filed during a waiting period (as de-
fined in subsection (c)(2)) which is inapplicable solely by 
reason of clause (ii)(II) of subsection (a)(1), subparagraph 
(A) shall not apply with respect to benefits for months 
in such waiting period.’’. 
SEC. 3. EFFECTIVE DATE. 
The amendments made by this Act shall apply with 
respect to benefits based on applications filed on or after 
the date of the enactment of this Act and benefits based 
on applications filed during a waiting period (as defined 
in section 223(c)(2) of the Social Security Act) in connec-
tion with such benefits ending after such date.
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