Health Care Worker and First Responder Social Security Beneficiary Choice Act of 2022
Bill: H.R.6776 | Sponsor: Rep. Katko, John (R-NY)
Policy area: Social Welfare

Summary:
Health Care Worker and First Responder Social Security Beneficiary Choice Act of 2022
This bill excludes wages from employment in the health care workforce or as a first responder during public health emergencies, including the COVID-19 emergency, from income limits that apply to Social Security retirement benefits.

To provide for the exemption of certain earnings from the retirement 
                 earnings test, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Health Care Worker and First 
Responder Social Security Beneficiary Choice Act of 2022''.

SEC. 2. EXEMPTION OF CERTAIN EARNINGS FROM RETIREMENT EARNINGS TEST.

    (a) In General.--For purposes of subsection (b) of section 203 of 
the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 403(b)), wages paid to an individual 
who attests to being employed in the healthcare workforce or as a first 
responder (as determined by the Commissioner of Social Security) during 
the COVID-19 public health emergency, shall not be included in the 
determination of the individual's excess earnings under subsection 
(f)(3) of such section for any taxable year.
    (b) COVID-19 Public Health Emergency.--In this section, the term 
``COVID-19 public health emergency'' means the period during which 
there exists--
            (1) the public health emergency declared by the Secretary 
        pursuant to section 319 of the Public Health Service Act on 
        January 31, 2020, entitled ``Determination that a Public Health 
        Emergency Exists Nationwide as the Result of the 2019 Novel 
        Coronavirus''; and
            (2) any renewal of such declaration pursuant to such 
        section 319.
    (c) Guidance.--Not later than 30 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Commissioner of Social Security shall issue 
guidance providing for appropriate procedures for the implementation of 
subsection (a).

SEC. 3. FUTURE PANDEMIC PREPAREDNESS.

    (a) In General.--For purposes of subsection (b) of section 203 of 
the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 403(b)), wages paid to an eligible 
individual (as defined in subsection (b) of this section) during any 
public health emergency declared by the Secretary of Health and Human 
Services under section 319(a) of the Public Health Service Act (42 
U.S.C. 247d(a)) shall not be included in the determination of the 
individual's excess earnings under subsection (f)(3) of such section 
for any taxable year.
    (b) Eligible Individual.--For purposes of this section, an eligible 
individual is any individual who has in effect, as determined by the 
Commissioner of Social Security, a waiver issued to the individual by 
the Secretary of Health and Human Services in accordance with 
subsection (c).
    (c) Issuance of Waivers.--During a public health emergency declared 
by the Secretary of Health and Human Services under section 319(a) of 
the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 247d(a)) in which the 
Secretary has determined that, wholly or partially as a result of the 
public health emergency, there is a shortage of healthcare workers, the 
Secretary may issue a waiver to any eligible individual who attests to 
being employed in the healthcare workforce or as a first responder 
during such public health emergency.
    (d) Report.--The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall 
annually submit a report to Congress describing each waiver that has 
been issued under this section during the previous year.
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