I 
110TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2987 
To require the establishment of regional consumer price indices to compute 
cost-of-living increases under the programs for Social Security and Medi-
care and other medical benefits under titles II and XVIII of the Social 
Security Act. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 10, 2007 
Mr. WEINER introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committees on Energy 
and Commerce and Education and Labor, for a period to be subsequently 
determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provi-
sions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To require the establishment of regional consumer price indi-
ces to compute cost-of-living increases under the pro-
grams for Social Security and Medicare and other med-
ical benefits under titles II and XVIII of the Social 
Security Act. 
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 ‘‘COLA Fairness Act 
of 2007’’. 
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SEC. 2. REGIONAL CONSUMER PRICE INDEX. 
(a) RECOGNITION
OF REGIONS.—The Bureau of 
Labor Statistics of the Department of Labor shall estab-
lish and publish a mapping of the United States under 
which 14 regions are recognized comprising the United 
States. Each region shall include one of the cities listed 
in subsection (b). 
(b) SPECIFIED CITIES.—The cities specified in this 
subsection are the following: 
(1) Atlanta, Georgia; 
(2) Boston, Massachusetts; 
(3) Chicago, Illinois; 
(4) Cleveland, Ohio; 
(5) Dallas, Texas; 
(6) Detroit, Michigan; 
(7) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; 
(8) Houston, Texas; 
(9) Los Angeles, California; 
(10) Miami, Florida; 
(11) New York, New York; 
(12) San Francisco, California; 
(13) Seattle, Washington; and 
(14) Washington, District of Columbia. 
(c) ESTABLISHMENT
OF
REGIONAL
CONSUMER 
PRICE INDICES.—The Bureau shall establish and publish 
for each region recognized pursuant to subsection (a) a 
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monthly index for the region, to be known as the ‘‘Re-
gional Consumer Price Index’’ for the region, that indi-
cates changes over time in expenditures for consumption 
which are typical for individuals residing in the region. 
(d) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The preceding provisions of 
this section shall apply with respect to calendar months 
beginning on or after January 1, 2008. 
(e) AUTHORIZATION
OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
are authorized to be appropriated such sums as are nec-
essary to carry out the provisions of this section. 
SEC. 3. COMPUTATION OF SOCIAL SECURITY COST-OF-LIV-
ING INCREASES. 
(a) AMENDMENTS TO TITLE II.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Section 215(i) of the Social 
Security Act (42 U.S.C. 415(i)) is amended— 
(A) in paragraph (1)(G), by inserting be-
fore the period the following: ‘‘, and, with re-
spect to an individual who, at the time he ini-
tially becomes eligible for old-age insurance 
benefits or disability insurance benefits (or dies 
before initially becoming so eligible), resides in 
a region of the United States recognized by the 
Bureau of Labor Statistics pursuant to section 
2(a) of the COLA Fairness Act of 2007, the 
applicable Consumer Price Index shall be 
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deemed to be the Regional Consumer Price 
Index for such region’’; and 
(B) in paragraph (4), by striking ‘‘and by 
section 9001’’ and inserting ‘‘, by section 
9001’’, and by inserting after ‘‘1986,’’ the fol-
lowing: ‘‘and by section 3(a) of the COLA Fair-
ness Act of 2007,’’. 
(2) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS RELATING TO 
APPLICABLE
FORMER
LAW.—Section 215(i)(4) of 
such Act (42 U.S.C. 415(i)(4)) is amended by add-
ing at the end the following new sentence: ‘‘For pur-
poses of computing adjustments under this sub-
section as so in effect, the applicable Consumer 
Price Index shall be deemed to be the Regional Con-
sumer Price Index for the region in which such indi-
vidual resides at the time he becomes eligible for old- 
age insurance benefits or disability insurance bene-
fits (or dies before initially becoming so eligible).’’. 
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 
this section shall apply to determinations made by the 
Commissioner of Social Security under section 215(i)(2) 
of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 415(i)(2)) with re-
spect to cost-of-living computation quarters ending on or 
after September 30 of the second calendar year following 
the calendar year in which this Act is enacted. 
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