I 
115TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2247 
To amend title II of the Social Security Act to provide for equal treatment 
of individuals in same-sex marriages, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
APRIL 28, 2017 
Ms. MICHELLE LUJAN GRISHAM of New Mexico 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 
for equal treatment of individuals in same-sex marriages, 
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 ‘‘Anthony Gonzales 
Equality for Survivors (AGES) Act’’. 
SEC. 2. DETERMINATION OF VALID MARRIAGE UNDER THE 
SOCIAL SECURITY ACT. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 216(h)(1)(A)(i) of the So-
cial Security Act (42 U.S.C. 416(h)(1)(A)(i)) is amended 
by striking ‘‘is domiciled’’ and all that follows through 
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‘‘the District of Columbia,’’ and inserting ‘‘and such appli-
cant were married (or, if such insured individual and such 
applicant were not married in any State but were validly 
married in another jurisdiction, the courts of any State)’’. 
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 
this section shall apply to all final determinations of family 
status made after June 26, 2013. 
SEC. 3. ALTERNATIVE METHOD OF MEETING NINE-MONTH 
REQUIREMENT 
FOR 
WIDOWS, 
STEP-
CHILDREN, 
OR 
WIDOWERS 
IN 
CERTAIN 
CASES. 
Section 216(k) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 
416(k)) is amended— 
(1) in the section heading, by striking ‘‘in Case 
of Accidental Death or in Case of Serviceman Dying 
in Line of Duty, or in Case of Remarriage to the 
Same Individual’’ and inserting ‘‘in certain cases’’; 
(2) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘or’’ at the 
end; 
(3) in paragraph (2)(B), by adding ‘‘or’’ at the 
end; 
(4) by inserting after paragraph (2) the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(3)(A) in the case of a widow or widower of 
such individual whose marriage to such individual 
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would not have been treated as a marriage for pur-
poses of Federal law prior to June 26, 2013, such 
widow or widower— 
‘‘(i) became the wife or husband of such 
individual (or was deemed to be the wife or hus-
band of such individual under subsection 
(h)(1)(A)(ii))— 
‘‘(I) if such widow or widower is domi-
ciled in a State that recognized same-sex 
marriages as of June 26, 2013, during the 
9-month period beginning with June 26, 
2013; and 
‘‘(II) if such widow or widower is 
domiciled in any other State— 
‘‘(aa) during the 9-month period 
beginning with June 26, 2013; or 
‘‘(bb) during the 9-month period 
beginning with June 26, 2015, or if 
earlier, the first date on which such 
State recognized same-sex marriages; 
and 
‘‘(ii) provides a sworn affidavit that the 
widow or widower was in a domestic partner-
ship with such individual throughout the 9- 
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month period ending on the date of the individ-
ual’s death; or 
‘‘(B) the stepchild of such individual— 
‘‘(i) became the stepchild of such indi-
vidual as a result of a parent of the stepchild 
becoming the wife or husband of such individual 
(or being deemed to be the wife or husband of 
such 
individual 
under 
subsection 
(h)(1)(A)(ii))— 
‘‘(I) if such parent is domiciled in a 
State that recognized same-sex marriages 
as of June 26, 2013, during the 9-month 
period beginning with June 26, 2013; and 
‘‘(II) if such parent is domiciled in 
any other State— 
‘‘(aa) during the 9-month period 
beginning with June 26, 2013; or 
‘‘(bb) during the 9-month period 
beginning with June 26, 2015, or if 
earlier, the first date on which such 
State recognized same-sex marriages; 
and 
‘‘(ii) provides a sworn affidavit that such 
parent was in a domestic partnership with such 
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individual throughout the 9-month period end-
ing on the date of the individual’s death;’’; and 
(5) by adding at the end the following: ‘‘For 
purposes of this subsection, the term ‘same-sex mar-
riage’ shall include a civil union, registered domestic 
partnership, and any other legal relationship treated 
by the Commissioner as a marital relationship for 
purposes of determining eligibility for spousal bene-
fits under this title.’’ 
SEC. 4. NOTIFICATION OF CHANGES IN LAW; OUTREACH 
CAMPAIGN. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Commissioner of 
Social Security shall conduct a comprehensive and effec-
tive 3-year outreach campaign to encourage individuals 
newly eligible for benefits under title II of the Social Secu-
rity Act as a result of changes in law relating to same- 
sex marriage and occurring on or after June 26, 2013, 
including this Act and the amendments made thereby, to 
apply for such benefits. Such outreach campaign shall in-
clude direct notification regarding such changes in law to 
current beneficiaries and to individuals approaching retire-
ment. 
(b) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—Not later than Decem-
ber 31 of each of the first 3 calendar years beginning after 
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the date of the enactment of this Act, the Commissioner 
of Social Security shall submit to the Committee on Ways 
and Means of the House of Representatives, the Com-
mittee on Finance of the Senate, and the Committees on 
Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the 
Senate a report that includes— 
(1) a description of the educational and out-
reach activities conducted by the Commissioner of 
Social Security under subsection (a) during the pre-
ceding year; 
(2) the number of applications for benefits 
under title II of the Social Security Act filed as a 
result of changes in law relating to same-sex mar-
riage and occurring on or after June 26, 2013, in-
cluding this Act and the amendments made thereby, 
in the preceding year; and 
(3) the number of such applications which re-
sulted in entitlement to benefits. 
Æ 
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