I
108TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 470
To amend title II of the Social Security Act to repeal the 7-year restriction
on eligibility for widow’s and widower’s insurance benefits based on disability.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
JANUARY 29, 2003
Mrs. LOWEY (for herself, Mr. CONYERS, Mr. CROWLEY, Mr. FROST, Ms. LEE,
Mr. PALLONE, Mr. PAYNE, Ms. WATSON, Ms. WOOLSEY, Mr. WYNN, and
Mr. FARR) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Ways and Means
A BILL
To amend title II of the Social Security Act to repeal the
7-year restriction on eligibility for widow’s and widower’s
insurance benefits based on disability.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. REPEAL OF 7-YEAR RESTRICTION ON ELIGI-
BILITY FOR WIDOW’S AND WIDOWER’S INSUR-
ANCE BENEFITS BASED ON DISABILITY.
(a) WIDOW’S INSURANCE BENEFITS.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—Section 202(e) of the Social
Security Act (42 U.S.C. 402(e)) is amended—
(A) in paragraph (1)(B)(ii), by striking
‘‘which began before the end of the period spec-
ified in paragraph (4)’’;
(B) in paragraph (1)(F)(ii), by striking
‘‘(I) in the period specified in paragraph (4)
and (II)’’;
(C) by striking paragraph (4) and by re-
designating paragraphs (5) through (9) as
paragraphs (4) through (8), respectively; and
(D) in paragraph (4)(A)(ii) (as redesig-
nated), by striking ‘‘whichever’’ and all that fol-
lows through ‘‘begins’’ and inserting ‘‘the first
day of the seventeenth month before the month
in which her application is filed’’.
(2) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.—
(A) Section 202(e)(1)(F)(i) of such Act
(42 U.S.C. 402(e)(1)(F)(i)) is amended by
striking ‘‘paragraph (5)’’ and inserting ‘‘para-
graph (4)’’.
(B) Section 202(e)(1)(C)(ii)(III) of such
Act (42 U.S.C. 402(e)(2)(C)(ii)(III)) is amend-
ed by striking ‘‘paragraph (8)’’ and inserting
‘‘paragraph (7)’’.
(C) Section 202(e)(2)(A) of such Act (42
U.S.C. 402(e)(2)(A)) is amended by striking
‘‘paragraph (7)’’ and inserting ‘‘paragraph
(6)’’.
(D) Section 226(e)(1)(A)(i) of such Act
(42 U.S.C. 426(e)(1)(A)(i)) is amended by
striking ‘‘202(e)(4),’’.
(b) WIDOWER’S INSURANCE BENEFITS.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—Section 202(f) of such Act
(42 U.S.C. 402(f)) is amended—
(A) in paragraph (1)(B)(ii), by striking
‘‘which began before the end of the period spec-
ified in paragraph (5)’’;
(B) in paragraph (1)(F)(ii), by striking
‘‘(I) in the period specified in paragraph (5)
and (II)’’;
(C) by striking paragraph (5) and by re-
designating paragraphs (6) through (9) as
paragraphs (5) through (8), respectively; and
(D) in paragraph (5)(A)(ii) (as redesig-
nated), by striking ‘‘whichever’’ and all that fol-
lows through ‘‘begins’’ and inserting ‘‘the first
day of the seventeenth month before the month
in which his application is filed’’.
(2) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.—
(A) Section 202(f)(1)(F)(i) of such Act (42
U.S.C. 402(f)(1)(F)(i)) is amended by striking
‘‘paragraph (6)’’ and inserting ‘‘paragraph
(5)’’.
(B) Section 202(f)(1)(C)(ii)(III) of such
Act (42 U.S.C. 402(f)(2)(C)(ii)(III)) is amend-
ed by striking ‘‘paragraph (8)’’ and inserting
‘‘paragraph (7)’’.
(C) Section 226(e)(1)(A)(i) of such Act (as
amended by subsection (a)(2)) is further
amended by striking ‘‘202(f)(1)(B)(ii), and
202(f)(5)’’ 
and 
inserting 
‘‘and
202(f)(1)(B)(ii)’’.
(c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by
this section shall apply with respect to benefits for months
after December 2003 for which applications are filed or
pending on or after January 1, 2004.
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