I
103D CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 634
To amend title II of the Social Security Act to provide that a monthly
insurance benefit thereunder shall be paid for the month in which the
recipient dies to the recipient’s surviving spouse, subject to a reduction
of 50 percent in the last monthly payment if the recipient dies during
the first 15 days of such month.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
JANUARY 26, 1993
Ms. SNOWE (for herself, Mr. SANDERS, Mr. MANZULLO, Mr. ACKERMAN, Mr.
GALLEGLY Mr. MCHUGH, Mr. GOSS, Mr. OWENS, Mr. BOEHLERT, Mr.
BOUCHER, Mr. LIVINGSTON, Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas, Mr. LAFALCE,
Mr. MACHTLEY, Mr. EMERSON, Mr. POSHARD, Mr. FROST, Mr. MCNUL-
TY, Mr. HANCOCK, Mr. INGLIS, Mr. WILSON, Mr. KING, Mr. WALSH, Mr.
WYNN, Mrs. MINK, Mr. MURPHY, Mr. PASTOR, Mr. MURTHA, Mr. JOHN-
SON of South Dakota, Mr. HUTTO, Mr. TOWNS, Mr. APPLEGATE, and
Mr. DEFAZIO) 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
that a monthly insurance benefit thereunder shall be
paid for the month in which the recipient dies to the
recipient’s surviving spouse, subject to a reduction of
50 percent in the last monthly payment if the recipient
dies during the first 15 days of such month.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. PAYMENT OF BENEFITS FOR MONTH OF RE-
CIPIENT’S DEATH.
(a) 
OLD-AGE
INSURANCE
BENEFITS.—Section
202(a) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 402(a)) is
amended by striking ‘‘the month preceding’’ in the matter
following subparagraph (B).
(b) WIFE’S INSURANCE BENEFITS.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—Section 202(b)(1) of such
Act (42 U.S.C. 402(b)(1)) is amended—
(A) by striking ‘‘and ending with the
month’’ in the matter immediately following
clause (ii) and inserting ‘‘and ending with the
month in which she dies or (if earlier) with the
month’’;
(B) by striking subparagraph (E); and
(C) by redesignating subparagraphs (F)
through (K) as subparagraphs (E) through
(J), respectively.
(2) 
CONFORMING
AMENDMENT.—Section
202(b)(5)(B) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 402(b)(5)(B))
is amended by striking ‘‘(E), (F), (H), or (J)’’ and
inserting ‘‘(E), (G), or (I)’’.
(c) HUSBAND’S INSURANCE BENEFITS.—
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Section 202(c)(1) of such
Act (42 U.S.C. 402(c)(1)) is amended—
(A) by striking ‘‘and ending with the
month’’ in the matter immediately following
clause (ii) and inserting ‘‘and ending with the
month in which he dies or (if earlier) with the
month’’;
(B) by striking subparagraph (E); and
(C) by redesignating subparagraphs (F)
through (K) as subparagraphs (E) through (J),
respectively.
(2) 
CONFORMING
AMENDMENT.—Section
202(c)(5)(B) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 402(c)(5)(B))
is amended by striking ‘‘(E), (F), (H), or (J)’’ and
inserting ‘‘(E), (G), or (I)’’.
(d) 
CHILD’S
INSURANCE
BENEFITS.—Section
202(d)(1) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 402(d)(1)) is amend-
ed—
(1) by striking ‘‘and ending with the month’’ in
the matter immediately preceding subparagraph (D)
and inserting ‘‘and ending with the month in which
such child dies or (if earlier) with the month’’; and
(2) by striking ‘‘dies, or’’ in subparagraph (D).
(e) 
WIDOW’S
INSURANCE
BENEFITS.—Section
202(e)(1) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 402(e)(1)) is amended
by striking ‘‘ending with the month preceding the first
month in which any of the following occurs: she remarries,
dies,’’ in the matter following subparagraph (F) and in-
serting ‘‘ending with the month in which she dies or (if
earlier) with the month preceding the first month in
which any of the following occurs: she remarries, or’’.
(f) WIDOWER’S
INSURANCE
BENEFITS.—Section
202(f)(1) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 402(f)(1)) is amended
by striking ‘‘ending with the month preceding the first
month in which any of the following occurs: he remarries,
dies,’’ in the matter following subparagraph (F) and in-
serting ‘‘ending with the month in which he dies or (if
earlier) with the month preceding the first month in which
any of the following occurs: he remarries,’’.
(g) MOTHER’S AND FATHER’S INSURANCE BENE-
FITS.—Section 202(g)(1) of such Act (42 U.S.C.
402(g)(1)) is amended—
(1) by inserting ‘‘with the month in which he or
she dies or (if earlier)’’ after ‘‘and ending’’ in the
matter following subparagraph (F); and
(2) by striking ‘‘he or she remarries, or he or
she dies’’ and inserting ‘‘or he or she remarries’’.
(h) 
PARENT’S
INSURANCE
BENEFITS.—Section
202(h)(1) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 402(h)(1)) is amended
by striking ‘‘ending with the month preceding the first
month in which any of the following occurs: such parent
dies, marries,’’ in the matter following subparagraph (E)
and inserting ‘‘ending with the month in which such par-
ent dies or (if earlier) with the month preceding the first
month in which any of the following occurs: such parent
marries,’’.
(i) DISABILITY
INSURANCE
BENEFITS.—Section
223(a)(1) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 423(a)(1)) is amended
by striking ‘‘ending with the month preceding whichever
of the following months is the earliest: the month in which
he dies,’’ in the matter following subparagraph (D) and
inserting the following: ‘‘ending with the month in which
he dies or (if earlier) with whichever of the following
months is the earliest:’’.
(j) BENEFITS AT AGE 72 FOR CERTAIN UNINSURED
INDIVIDUALS.—Section 228(a) of such Act (42 U.S.C.
428(a)) is amended by striking ‘‘the month preceding’’ in
the matter following paragraph (4).
SEC. 2. COMPUTATION AND PAYMENT OF LAST MONTHLY
PAYMENT.
(a) OLD-AGE AND SURVIVORS INSURANCE BENE-
FITS.—Section 202 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C.
402) is amended by adding at the end the following new
subsection:
‘‘Last Payment of Monthly Insurance Benefit
Terminated by Death
‘‘(y)(1) In any case in which an individual dies during
the first 15 days of a calendar month, the amount of such
individual’s monthly insurance benefit under this section
paid for such month shall be an amount equal to 50 per-
cent of the amount of such benefit (as determined without
regard to this subsection), rounded, if not a multiple of
$1, to the next lower multiple of $1. This subsection shall
apply with respect to such benefit after all other adjust-
ments with respect to such benefit provided by this title
have been made.
‘‘(2) Notwithstanding section 204(d), such benefit for
such month shall be payable only to a person who is deter-
mined by the Secretary to be the surviving spouse of the
deceased individual.’’.
(b) DISABILITY INSURANCE BENEFITS.—Section 223
of such Act (42 U.S.C. 423) is amended by adding at the
end the following new subsection:
‘‘Last Payment of Benefit Terminated by Death
‘‘(j)(1) In any case in which an individual dies during
the first 15 days of a calendar month, the amount of such
individual’s monthly insurance benefit under this section
paid for such month shall be an amount equal to 50 per-
cent of the amount of such benefit (as determined without
regard to this subsection), rounded, if not a multiple of
$1, to the next lower multiple of $1. This subsection shall
apply with respect to such benefit after all other adjust-
ments with respect to such benefit provided by this title
have been made.
‘‘(2) Notwithstanding section 204(d), such benefit for
such month shall be payable only to a person who is deter-
mined by the Secretary to be the surviving spouse of the
deceased individual.’’.
(c) BENEFITS AT AGE 72 FOR CERTAIN UNINSURED
INDIVIDUALS.—Section 228 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 428)
is amended by adding at the end the following new sub-
section:
‘‘Last Payment of Benefit Terminated by Death
‘‘(i)(1) In any case in which an individual dies during
the first 15 days of a calendar month, the amount of such
individual’s monthly insurance benefit under this section
paid for such month shall be an amount equal to 50 per-
cent of the amount of such benefit (as determined without
regard to this subsection), rounded, if not a multiple of
$1, to the next lower multiple of $1. This subsection shall
apply with respect to such benefit after all other adjust-
ments with respect to such benefit provided by this title
have been made.
‘‘(2) Notwithstanding section 204(d), such benefit for
such month shall be payable only to a person who is deter-
mined by the Secretary to be the surviving spouse of the
deceased individual.’’.
SEC. 3. EFFECTIVE DATE.
The amendments made by this Act shall apply with
respect to deaths occurring after 180 days after the date
of the enactment of this Act.
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