I 
111TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3536 
To provide for an increase of $150 in Social Security benefits for one month 
in 2010 to compensate for the lack of a cost-of-living adjustment for 
that year. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
SEPTEMBER 8, 2009 
Mrs. MCCARTHY of New York (for herself, Mr. KILDEE, Ms. FUDGE, Mr. FIL-
NER, Mr. PETERS, Mr. ROTHMAN of New Jersey, Mr. BOUCHER, Mr. 
COSTELLO, Mr. HARE, and Mr. BISHOP of New York) introduced the fol-
lowing bill; which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means 
A BILL 
To provide for an increase of $150 in Social Security benefits 
for one month in 2010 to compensate for the lack of 
a cost-of-living adjustment for that year. 
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 COLA 
Fix for 2010 Act’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND STATEMENT OF POLICY. 
(a) FINDINGS.—The Congress finds that— 
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(1) no cost-of-living increase in Social Security 
benefits is anticipated under current law for 2010; 
and 
(2) the rising costs being endured by our Na-
tion’s seniors and disabled individuals makes the 
lack of such a cost-of-living increase particularly 
burdensome for them and their families. 
(b) STATEMENT OF POLICY.—It is the policy of this 
Act to provide some compensation to our Nation’s seniors 
and disabled individuals and their families for the lack of 
a cost-of-living increase in Social Security benefits for 
2010 by providing for them a benefit increase of $150 for 
one month in 2010. 
SEC. 3. SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFIT INCREASE FOR ONE 
MONTH PAYABLE IN 2010. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in this section, 
each individual who is entitled to a monthly insurance ben-
efit under section 202 or 223 of the Social Security Act 
(42 U.S.C. 402, 423) for the month in which this Act is 
enacted and is also entitled to such benefit for the applica-
ble increase month (as defined in subsection (b)) shall be 
entitled to an increase in such benefit for the applicable 
increase month in the amount of $150. 
(b) APPLICABLE INCREASE MONTH.—For purposes 
of this section, the term ‘‘applicable increase month’’ 
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means the first month beginning after 180 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act 
(c) RESTRICTION OF INCREASE TO ONE MONTH.— 
Nothing in this section shall affect the amount of a benefit 
under section 202 or 223 of the Social Security Act for 
any month other than the applicable increase month. 
(d) NOTICE.—Not later than the date of the benefit 
payment to each individual which reflects the benefit in-
crease under this section, the Secretary of the Treasury 
shall issue to such individual a written notice which in-
cludes the following statement: ‘‘Your benefit payment for 
llllll reflects a one-time increase in monthly in-
surance benefits for that month of $150 which is in lieu 
of an annual cost-of-living increase in benefits for 2010.’’, 
with the blank space therein being filled with a reference 
to the calendar month which is the applicable increase 
month. 
(e) SIMULTANEOUS ENTITLEMENTS.—In any case in 
which an individual is entitled to 2 or more monthly insur-
ance benefits under title II of the Social Security Act for 
the applicable increase month, the increase provided in 
subsection (a) shall apply to the total amount of such ben-
efits for the applicable increase month, after application 
of section 202(k), in lieu of the amount of each benefit 
which is so payable. 
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(f) EFFECT ON FAMILY MAXIMUM.—The amount of 
the increase in monthly insurance benefits under sub-
section (a) shall be disregarded in determining reductions 
in benefits under section 203(a) of the Social Security Act 
(42 U.S.C. 403(a)). 
(g) INCREASE TO BE DISREGARDED FOR PURPOSES 
OF ALL FEDERAL
AND FEDERALLY ASSISTED PRO-
GRAMS.—The increase under subsection (a) shall not be 
regarded as income and shall not be regarded as a re-
source for the applicable increase month and the following 
9 months, for purposes of determining the eligibility of 
the recipient (or the recipient’s spouse or family) for bene-
fits or assistance, or the amount or extent of benefits or 
assistance, under any Federal program or under any State 
or local program financed in whole or in part with Federal 
funds. 
(h) INCREASE NOT CONSIDERED INCOME FOR PUR-
POSES OF TAXATION.—The increase under subsection (a) 
shall not be considered as gross income for purposes of 
the Internal Revenue Code of 1986. 
(i) BENEFITS NOT OTHERWISE PAYABLE.—Nothing 
in this section shall be construed to provide, in connection 
with the increase of any benefit under this section, for a 
payment of any amount of such benefit if such benefit is 
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not otherwise payable under subsection (t) or (x) of sec-
tion 202 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 402(t), (x)). 
Æ 
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