[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 657 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 657
To amend the Social Security Act to provide retirement security to
United States nationals who were unlawfully or wrongfully detained or
held hostage abroad.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
February 20, 2025
Mr. Coons (for himself, Mr. Cassidy, Mr. Kaine, Ms. Collins, and Mr.
Wyden) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred
to the Committee on Finance
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Social Security Act to provide retirement security to
United States nationals who were unlawfully or wrongfully detained or
held hostage abroad.
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 ``Retirement Security for American
Hostages Act of 2025''.
SEC. 2. DEEMED WAGES FOR HOSTAGES AND INDIVIDUALS WRONGFULLY DETAINED
ABROAD.
(a) In General.--Title II of the Social Security Act is amended by
adding after section 234 (42 U.S.C. 434) the following new section:
``deemed wages for hostages and individuals wrongfully detained abroad
``Sec. 235. (a) Definitions.--For purposes of this section--
``(1) Qualifying month.--
``(A) In general.--Subject to subparagraph (B), the
term `qualifying month' means, in connection with an
individual, any month--
``(i) beginning before, on, or after the
date of enactment of this section, and
``(ii) during which such individual was--
``(I) unlawfully or wrongfully
detained abroad; or
``(II) held hostage abroad.
``(B) Exception.--The term `qualifying month' does
not include any month ending after the date on which
such individual attains retirement age (as defined in
section 216(l)).
``(2) Qualifying individual.--The term `qualifying
individual' means an individual who is--
``(A) a United States national unlawfully or
wrongfully detained abroad, as determined under section
302 of the Robert Levinson Hostage Recovery and
Hostage-Taking Accountability Act (22 U.S.C. 1741); or
``(B) a United States national taken hostage
abroad, as determined pursuant to the findings of the
Hostage Recovery Fusion Cell (as described in section
304 of the Robert Levinson Hostage Recovery and
Hostage-Taking Accountability Act (22 U.S.C. 1741b)).
``(b) Deemed Wages.--
``(1) In general.--For purposes of determining entitlement
to and the amount of any monthly benefit for any month, or
entitlement to and the amount of any lump-sum death payment in
the case of a death, payable under this title on the basis of
the wages and self-employment income of any qualifying
individual, such individual shall be deemed to have been paid
during each qualifying month at an amount per month equal to
\1/12\ \th\ of the national average wage index (as defined in
section 209(k)(1)) for the second calendar year preceding the
calendar year in which such month occurs.
``(2) Exception.--Paragraph (1) shall not be applicable in
the case of any monthly benefit or lump-sum death payment if a
larger such benefit or payment, as the case may be, would be
payable without its application.
``(c) Rules and Regulations.--
``(1) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the date of
the enactment of this section, the Commissioner of Social
Security shall promulgate such regulations as are necessary to
carry out this section, including regulations establishing
procedures for the application and certification requirements
described in paragraph (2).
``(2) Application and certification requirements.--A
qualifying month shall not be taken into account under this
section with respect to an individual unless the individual (or
any other individual entitled to any benefit or payment payable
under this title on the basis of the wages and self-employment
income of such individual) submits to the Commissioner of
Social Security an application for benefits under this section
that includes--
``(A) documentation of a determination made by a
Federal agency that the individual satisfies the
requirements under subsection (a)(2) with respect to a
qualifying individual, including the period during
which the individual was--
``(i) unlawfully or wrongfully detained
abroad; or
``(ii) held hostage abroad; and
``(B) such other information as the Commissioner
may require.''.
(b) Conforming Amendment.--Section 209(k)(1) of such Act (42 U.S.C.
409(k)(1)) is amended--
(1) by striking ``and'' before ``230(b)(2)'' the first time
it appears; and
(2) by inserting ``and 235(b)(1),'' after ``1977),''.
(c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall take
effect on the date which is 24 months after the date of enactment of
this Act.
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