RECON Act

Bill Number

H.R. 8478

Origin Chamber

House

Congress

119th Congress, Session 2

Policy Area

Social Welfare

Status

Introduced

Latest Action

2026-04-23: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

Last Updated

2026-05-18T16:17:32Z

AI-Generated Summary

Summary of H.R. 8478: Respecting Every Claimant's Appeal Options Now Act (RECON Act)

Purpose

The bill aims to give Social Security claimants more flexibility in appealing initial decisions by making the "reconsideration" step optional, allowing them to request a hearing directly.

Key Provisions

• Amendments to Social Security Act:
• Title II (covers retirement, survivors, and disability benefits): Adds language to Section 205(b)(1) stating the Commissioner must offer a hearing upon request for any initial decision and cannot require reconsideration first.
• Title XVI (covers Supplemental Security Income, or SSI, for low-income individuals): Adds similar language to Section 1631(c)(1)(A).
• Effective Date: Applies to initial decisions made on benefits under Titles II or XVI, starting 1 year after enactment.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

• Currently, claimants must go through a mandatory "reconsideration" (a review of the initial denial by a different reviewer) before requesting a full hearing before an administrative law judge.
• This bill eliminates that requirement, letting claimants bypass reconsideration and go straight to a hearing if they choose.

Potential Impacts

• On Citizens/Claimants: Could speed up the appeals process for those who skip reconsideration, potentially leading to faster benefit approvals or denials; however, it might overwhelm those unfamiliar with skipping steps.
• On Government Agencies: The Social Security Administration (SSA) may face more hearing requests, increasing workload for administrative law judges and possibly causing backlogs or higher costs.
• No Direct International Relations Impact: Focused solely on domestic U.S. benefits programs.

Main Stakeholders Affected

• Social Security Claimants: Primarily disability, retirement, survivors, and SSI recipients appealing denials.
• Social Security Administration (SSA): Handles appeals, including the Commissioner and administrative law judges.
• Advocacy Groups: Organizations supporting claimants, such as disability rights groups, who may benefit from streamlined appeals.

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications

• Legal: Streamlines administrative procedures under the Social Security Act without altering eligibility rules or hearing standards; maintains due process by preserving hearing rights.
• Constitutional: No apparent challenges, as it expands claimant options rather than restricting rights.
• Political: Could appeal to those frustrated with delays in SSA appeals (which often take months or years), but may draw criticism for potentially increasing SSA's operational costs and caseload.

This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.

Sponsor

Rep. Foushee, Valerie P. [D-NC-4]

Recent Actions

• 2026-04-23: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
• 2026-04-23: Introduced in House
• 2026-04-23: Introduced in House

Bill Versions

• Respecting Every Claimant’s appeal Options Now Act — issued 2026-04-23 — PDF (2 pages)