I 
109TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1286 
To amend title XI of the Social Security Act to include additional information 
in Social Security account statements. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 14, 2005 
Mr. SHADEGG introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Ways and Means 
A BILL 
To amend title XI of the Social Security Act to include 
additional information in Social Security account statements. 
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 Right 
to Know Act of 2005’’. 
SEC. 2. SPECIFICATION OF CONSTITUTIONAL AUTHORITY 
FOR ENACTMENT OF LAW. 
This Act is enacted pursuant to the power granted 
the Congress under article I, section 8, clauses 1 and 18, 
of the United States Constitution.
SEC. 3. MATERIAL TO BE INCLUDED IN SOCIAL SECURITY 
ACCOUNT STATEMENT. 
Section 1143(a)(2) of the Social Security Act (42 
U.S.C. 1320b–13(a)(2)) is amended— 
(1) in subparagraph (D) by striking ‘‘and’’; 
(2) in subparagraph (E) by striking the period 
and inserting a semicolon; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(F) a statement of the current Social Security 
tax rates applicable with respect to wages and self- 
employment income, including an indication of the 
combined total of such rates of employee and em-
ployer taxes with respect to wages; and 
‘‘(G)(i) as determined by the Chief Actuary of 
the Social Security Administration, a comparison of 
the total annual amount of Social Security tax 
inflows (including amounts appropriated under sub-
sections (a) and (b) of section 201 of this Act and 
section 121(e) of the Social Security Amendments of 
1983 (26 U.S.C. 401 note)) during the preceding 
calendar year to the total annual amount paid in 
benefits during such calendar year; 
‘‘(ii) as determined by such Chief Actuary— 
‘‘(I) a statement of whether the ratio of 
the inflows described in clause (i) for future cal-
endar years to amounts paid for such calendar 
years is expected to result in a cash flow deficit, 
‘‘(II) the calendar year that is expected to 
be the year in which any such deficit will com-
mence, and 
‘‘(III) the first calendar year in which 
funds in the Federal Old-Age and Survivors In-
surance Trust Fund and the Federal Disability 
Insurance Trust Fund will cease to be sufficient 
to cover any such deficit; 
‘‘(iii) an explanation that states in substance— 
‘‘(I) that the Trust Fund balances reflect 
resources authorized by the Congress to pay fu-
ture benefits, but they do not consist of real 
economic assets that can be used in the future 
to fund benefits, and that such balances are 
claims against the United States Treasury that, 
when redeemed, must be financed through in-
creased taxes, public borrowing, benefit reduc-
tion, or elimination of other Federal expendi-
tures, 
‘‘(II) that such benefits are established and 
maintained only to the extent the laws enacted 
by the Congress to govern such benefits so pro-
vide, and
‘‘(III) that, under current law, inflows to 
the Trust Funds are at levels inadequate to en-
sure indefinitely the payment of benefits in full; 
and 
‘‘(iv) in simple and easily understood terms— 
‘‘(I) a representation of the rate of return 
that a typical taxpayer retiring at retirement 
age (as defined in section 216(l)) credited each 
year with average wages and self-employment 
income would receive as old-age insurance bene-
fits as compared to the total amount of em-
ployer, employee, and self-employment contribu-
tions of such a taxpayer, as determined by such 
Chief Actuary for each cohort of workers born 
in each year beginning with 1925, which shall 
be set out in chart or graph form with an ex-
planatory caption or legend, and 
‘‘(II) an explanation for the occurrence of 
past changes in such rate of return and for the 
possible occurrence of future changes in such 
rate of return. 
The Comptroller General of the United States shall con-
sult with the Chief Actuary to the extent the Chief Actu-
ary determines necessary to meet the requirements of sub-
paragraph (G).’’. 
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