Social Security Overpayment Relief Act
- Bill Number
- H.R. 2142
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Social Welfare
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2025-03-14: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
- Last Updated
- 2026-06-25T08:08:45Z
AI-Generated Summary
Summary of H.R. 2142: Social Security Overpayment Relief Act
Purpose
This bill aims to protect Social Security beneficiaries from the recovery of very old overpayments by establishing a time limit on when the government can seek repayment. It prevents the Social Security Administration (SSA) from collecting excess payments made more than 10 years before they are discovered.
Key Provisions
- Amendment to Title II (Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance): Adds a new subsection to Section 204 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 404), stating that no adjustments to payments or recovery actions can be taken for overpayments occurring 10 or more years prior to the date the SSA Commissioner determines an overpayment occurred.
- Amendment to Title XVI (Supplemental Security Income): Adds a new paragraph to Section 1631(b) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1383(b)), applying the same 10-year limitation on recovery of overpayments.
- The short title is the "Social Security Overpayment Relief Act."
- The bill was introduced on March 14, 2025, by Ms. McDonald Rivet and referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Prior to this bill, the Social Security Act did not include a specific time limit (known as a statute of limitations) for recovering overpayments under Titles II and XVI. The SSA could pursue repayment indefinitely once an overpayment was identified.
- This legislation introduces a clear 10-year cutoff from the date of the overpayment to the date of discovery, barring recovery efforts beyond that period. This applies only to future discoveries of old overpayments and does not retroactively forgive existing debts.
Potential Impacts
- On Citizens: Provides financial relief to Social Security recipients, particularly low-income or elderly individuals who might face unexpected demands to repay old errors (e.g., due to administrative mistakes or changes in eligibility). It reduces the risk of poverty or hardship from long-dormant debts.
- On Government Agencies: Eases the administrative workload for the SSA by limiting the need to investigate and pursue very old cases, potentially saving resources. However, it may result in forgone revenue from uncollected overpayments.
- On International Relations: No direct impacts, as the bill focuses on domestic U.S. social welfare programs.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Social Security Beneficiaries: Primary beneficiaries include retirees, disabled individuals, survivors, and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) recipients who could otherwise be pursued for overpayments.
- Social Security Administration (SSA): The agency responsible for administering the programs will need to update processes to track and apply the 10-year limit.
- U.S. Taxpayers: Indirectly affected through potential changes in SSA's revenue recovery and administrative costs.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal Implications: Establishes a statute of limitations for overpayment recovery, aligning Social Security rules more closely with general principles in civil law that prevent indefinite liability. This could lead to fewer lawsuits or disputes over old claims but may require SSA to implement new tracking systems for compliance.
- Constitutional Implications: None apparent; the bill operates within Congress's authority to regulate federal benefits programs under the Spending Clause of the U.S. Constitution.
- Political Implications: Offers protections for vulnerable populations, potentially appealing to advocates for social welfare reform. It may spark debate on balancing fiscal responsibility (recovering taxpayer funds) against fairness for beneficiaries, influencing future budget discussions for entitlement programs.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Rep. McDonald Rivet, Kristen [D-MI-8]
Cosponsors (4)
Rep. Nunn, Zachary [R-IA-3], Rep. Magaziner, Seth [D-RI-2], Rep. Golden, Jared F. [D-ME-2], Rep. Walkinshaw, James R. [D-VA-11]
Recent Actions
- 2025-03-14: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
- 2025-03-14: Introduced in House
- 2025-03-14: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Social Security Overpayment Relief Act — issued 2025-03-14 — PDF (2 pages)