Social Security Protection Act of 2003

Bill: 108-s-439
Sponsor: Sen. Bunning, Jim [R-KY]
Introduced: 2003-02-25 in the Senate
Policy area: Social Welfare
Subjects: Age
Aliens
Armed Forces and National Security
Auditing
Blind
Church property
Civil service retirement
Clergy
Collection of accounts
Commerce
Community property
Compensation for victims of crime
Congress
Congressional investigations
Congressional reporting requirements
Consumer education
Consumer protection
Court records
Crime and Law Enforcement
Criminal justice information
Deceptive advertising
Deportation
Disability evaluation
Disabled
Divorce
Earnings
Economics and Public Finance
Emblems
Employment of the disabled
Ex-offenders
Families
Federal advisory bodies
Federal employees
Federal officials
Fees
Finance and Financial Sector
Fines (Penalties)
Forfeiture
Fraud
Fugitives from justice
Government Operations and Politics
Government paperwork
Government travel
Government trust funds
Governmental investigations
Health
History
Household workers
Housing and Community Development
Identification of criminals
Illegal aliens
Immigration
Income tax
International Affairs
Judicial review
Kentucky
Labor and Employment
Law
Lawyers
Legal ethics
Legal fees
Legal services
Liability (Law)
Licenses
Local employees
Marriage
Married people
Medicare
Mentally disabled
Names
Nonprofit organizations
Obstruction of justice
Old age, survivors and disability insurance
Parents
Parole
Pension funds
Probation
Protection of officials
Religion
Rental housing
Salaries
Self-employed
Sentences (Criminal procedure)
Signs and symbols
Smuggling
Social Security Administration
Social security beneficiaries
Social security eligibility
Social security numbers
Social security taxes
Sunset legislation
Supplemental security income program
Surety and fidelity
Tax credits
Tax deductions
Tax exemption
Tax treaties
Taxation
Transportation and Public Works
Travel costs
Trusts and trustees
Veterans' pensions
Vocational rehabilitation
Welfare eligibility
Welfare fraud
Widowers
Widows
Women
World War II

Summary:
action_date: 2003-02-25
text: Social Security Protection Act of 2003 - Amends the Social Security Act to direct, with certain limitations, the Commissioner of Social Security to fully reimburse Social Security beneficiaries for any part of their benefit that was misused by a representative payee. Defines misuse of benefits. Establishes that a representative payee that is not a Federal, State, or local government agency will be held liable for misuse of funds and for lying or withholding information relevant to his right to be a representative.
Forbids a prospective representative payee of a beneficiary from serving if he has been convicted of any Federal or State offense resulting in imprisonment for more than one year, unless the Commissioner deems it appropriate. Forbids a fugitive felon from serving as a representative payee. Identifies attorneys who have received certain sanctions as ineligible to be representative payees.
Establishes that certain individuals fleeing prosecution, custody, or confinement, or violating probation or parole shall not be allowed benefits unless the Commissioner finds good cause to allow them. Forbids benefits from being distributed to individuals violating probation or parole under State or Federal law. Forbids payment of benefits to individuals removed from the United States.
Provides for disqualification from payment during trial work period upon conviction of fraudulent concealment of work activity.
Outlines authority for judicial orders of restitution.
Sets a cap on assessments owed by attorney representatives upon receiving payments for past-due benefits. Sets a cap of 25 percent of the amount of payment of past-due benefits for a payment from the Commissioner to an attorney representative.
Extends availability of Federal and State work incentive services to additional individuals.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-02-25
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
action_date: 2003-02-25
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S2707-2708)
action_date: 2003-02-25
text: Introduced in Senate