Protecting Retirement and Health Benefits for Families Act

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3468 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>






119th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 3468

 To require the Commissioner of Social Security, the Administrator of 
  the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the Commissioner of 
Internal Revenue, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and the Secretary 
   of Housing and Urban Development to certify to Congress that any 
planned staffing cuts or regional field office closures will not impact 
  the provision of Congressionally-authorized services, and for other 
                               purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 15, 2025

 Ms. Sherrill introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
   Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committees on 
 Energy and Commerce, Veterans' Affairs, and Financial Services, for a 
 period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for 
consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the 
                          committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To require the Commissioner of Social Security, the Administrator of 
  the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the Commissioner of 
Internal Revenue, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and the Secretary 
   of Housing and Urban Development to certify to Congress that any 
planned staffing cuts or regional field office closures will not impact 
  the provision of Congressionally-authorized services, 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 ``Protecting Retirement and Health 
Benefits for Families Act''.

SEC. 2. CERTIFICATION TO CONGRESS.

    (a) In General.--The head of a covered agency shall certify to 
Congress before carrying out a covered activity that such covered 
activity will not impact the provision of services or benefits by such 
covered agency in a manner that--
            (1) reduces the receipt of benefits or financial assistance 
        from a covered agency by individuals who are eligible for, or 
        entitled to, such benefits or financial assistance;
            (2) increases delays in the receipt of benefits or 
        financial assistance from a covered agency, or in the response 
        times of a covered agency to inquiries about benefit or 
        financial assistance receipt, by individuals who are eligible 
        for, or entitled to, such benefits or financial assistance; or
            (3) limits the ability of the staff of a covered agency to 
        conduct outreach or other activities designed to increase the 
        receipt of benefits or financial assistance from a covered 
        agency by individuals who are eligible for, or entitled to, 
        such benefits or financial assistance.
    (b) Report.--Along with each certification required by subsection 
(a), the head of a covered agency shall submit a report to Congress 
explaining how the head of the agency will shift resources or 
operational procedures of the agency to ensure that carrying out the 
covered activity does not impact the provision of services or benefits 
by that covered agency in a manner described under paragraphs (1) 
through (3) of subsection (a), including how the head of the covered 
agency will shift resources or operational procedures of the agency to 
prevent the covered activity from--
            (1) causing staffing shortages that reduce the ability of 
        the covered agency to process benefit claims and send out 
        benefit payments;
            (2) leading to increases in phone and walk-in wait times 
        for benefits-related inquiries;
            (3) reducing the level or intensity of outreach efforts 
        designed to boost the receipt of benefits by individuals 
        eligible for those benefits;
            (4) harming the ability of the head of such covered agency 
        to conduct regulatory, investigatory, and enforcement functions 
        that protect the public, ensure compliance with applicable 
        laws, and prevent fraud, waste, and abuse; and
            (5) harming the ability of the head of such covered agency 
        to fulfill statutory and administrative mandates related to the 
        core functions of the agency, including those not explicitly 
        tied to direct benefits disbursement but integral to public 
        service, financial administration, support for State and 
        municipal housing authorities, health care oversight, tax 
        administration, or the administration of veterans' health care 
        and education benefits.
    (c) Inspector General Study and Report.--With respect to each 
covered activity carried out by the head of a covered agency, the 
Inspector General concerned shall, not later than 1 year after the head 
of a covered agency submits the certification required by subsection 
(a) with respect to such activity, and one year after the head of such 
agency carries out such activity--
            (1) study whether carrying out such covered activity has 
        impacted the provision of services or benefits by that covered 
        agency in a manner described under paragraphs (1) through (3) 
        of subsection (a); and
            (2) submit a report to Congress on the results of such 
        study.
    (d) Reversal of Covered Activity.--If an Inspector General 
determines under the study required by subsection (b) that carrying out 
a covered activity effected the provision of services or benefits by a 
covered agency in a manner described under paragraphs (1) through (3) 
of subsection (a), the head of such covered agency shall reverse the 
covered activity, including by--
            (1) reinstating any laid-off staff; and
            (2) reopening shuttered regional field offices.
    (e) Definitions.--In this Act:
            (1) Covered activity.--The term ``covered activity'' 
        means--
                    (A) any planned staffing cuts under which the head 
                of a covered agency expects to reduce the overall 
                staffing level of such covered agency by over five 
                percent in a single year;
                    (B) any planned regional field office closures 
                under which the head of a covered agency expects to 
                reduce the overall number of regional field offices of 
                such covered agency by over five percent in a single 
                year;
                    (C) any budget reallocation, funding recession, or 
                structural reorganization that would result in a 
                measurable reduction in the ability of the covered 
                agency to provide timely and effective services, 
                including processing claims, issuing refunds or 
                benefits, responding to public inquiries, enforcing 
                regulatory obligations, and conducting outreach or 
                compliance activities; or
                    (D) any restructuring of enforcement, 
                investigatory, or regulatory activities that could 
                significantly weaken beneficiary or taxpayer 
                protections, reduce agency oversight capabilities, or 
                increase risks of fraud, waste, or abuse in programs 
                administered by such covered agency.
            (2) Covered agency.--The term ``covered agency'' means the 
        following:
                    (A) The Social Security Administration.
                    (B) The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Service.
                    (C) The Internal Revenue Service.
                    (D) The Department of Veterans Affairs.
                    (E) The Department of Housing and Urban 
                Development.
            (3) Inspector general concerned.--The term ``Inspector 
        General concerned'' means--
                    (A) with respect to the Social Security 
                Administration, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and 
                the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the 
                Inspector General of the applicable agency;
                    (B) with respect to the Centers for Medicare and 
                Medicaid Services, the Inspector General of the 
                Department of Health and Human Services; and
                    (C) with respect to the Internal Revenue Services, 
                the Treasury IG for Tax Administration.
    (f) Effective Date.--This section shall take effect on the date 
that is one year after the date of the enactment of this Act.
                                 <all>