SECTION I: TITLE.This law shall be referred to as the Protect and Expand Social Security Act.
SECTION II: FINDINGS.(a) Social Security is a very popular and successful program that has provided an important safety net for millions of Atlasians and a more secure retirement for Elderly Atlasians.
(b) Since the creation of Social Security, poverty among seniors has been drastically cut.
(c) The Social Security Administration estimates that by 2037, the Social Security Trust Funds will be depleted. After this point, the Social Security Administration will be unable to provide benefits in full for the first time since the program's creation.
(d) Congress resolves that Social Security must be protected and expanded and that it must therefore act to provide new sources of revenue and ensure that recipients continue to recieve adequate benefits in full.
SECTION III: STRENGTHENING OF BENEFITS. (a) 42 U.S. Code § 415 (a)(1)(A)(i) shall be amended as follows:
(i) 90 93 percent of the individual's average indexed monthly earnings (determined under subsection (b)) to the extent that such earnings do not exceed the amount established for purposes of this clause by subparagraph (B),
(b) The Social Security Administration shall hereby utilise the Consumer Price Index for the Elderly (CPI-E) as published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics when calculating cost-of-living adjustments to benefits.
(c) 42 U.S. Code § 415 (a)(1) shall be amended follows:
(i) By redesignating subparagraph (D) as subparagraph (E).
(ii) By inserting after subparagraph (C) the following new subparagraph:
(D)
(i) Effective with respect to the benefits of individuals who become eligible for old-age insurance benefits or disability insurance benefits (or die before becoming so eligible) after 2019, no primary insurance amount computed under subparagraph (A) may be less than the greater of:
(I) The minimum monthly amount computed under subparaghraph (C); or
(II) In the case of an individual who has more than 10 years of work (as defined in clause (iv)(I)), the alternative minimum amount determined under clause (ii).
(ii)
(I) The alternative minimum amount determined under this clause is the applicable percentage of one twelth of the annual dollar amount determined under clause (iii) for the year in which the amount is determined.
(II) For purposes of subclause (I), the applicable percentage is the percentage specified in connection with the number of years of work, as set fourth in the following table:
Key:-
Number of years of work: Applicable percentage
11: 6.25%
12: 12.50%
13: 18.75%
14: 25.00%
15: 31.25%
16: 37.50%
17: 43.75%
18: 50.00%
19: 56.25%
20: 62.80%
21: 68.75%
22: 75.00%
23: 81.25%
24: 87.50%
25: 93.75%
26: 100.00%
27: 106.25%
28: 112.50%
29: 118.75%
30+: 125.00%
(iii) The annual dollar amount determined under this clause is:
(I) For calendar year 2021, the poverty guideline for 2020.
(II) For any calendar year after 2021, the annual dollar amount for 2021 multiplied by the ratio of:
(aa) The national average wage index (as defined in section 409(k)(1) of this title) for the second callendar year preceding the calendar year for which the determine is made, to.
(bb) The national average wage index for 2019.
(iv) For the purposes of this subparagraph:
(I) The term "year of work" means, with respect to an individual, a year to to which 4 quarters of coverage have been credited based on such individual's wages and self-employment income.
(II) The term "poverty guideline for 2020" means the annual poverty guideline for 2020 (as updated annually in the Federal Register by the Department of Health and Human Services under the authority of section 673(2) of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1981) as applicable to a single individual.
(d) 42 U.S. Code § 409 (k)(1) shall be amended by inserting "415(a)(1)(E)" after "415(a)(1)(E)".
(e) All individuals who do not meet the eligibility requirements specified under 42 U.S. Code § 402 (d) shall now be eligible for Child's Insurance Benefits if they:
(i) Have not attained the age of 22.
(ii) Are in full-time education at a college or vocational school.
(f) For the purposes of the calculation of average indexed monthly earnings, future beneficiaries shall be eligible to recieve credit equal to one twelth of the annual median wage of the relevant year for each month of that year in which they have not been in full-time employment and in which they have provided at least 80 hours of unpaid caregiving to:
(i) A child under the age of 6.
(ii) A dependent with a disability.
(iii) An elderly relative.
(g) Current recipients shall be eligible to recieve credit established by subsection (f) retroactively by five years.
(h) 42 U.S. Code § 402 (e)(B) is hereby struck out and provisions are re-numbered accordingly.
(i) 42 U.S. Code § 402 (f)(B) is hereby struck out and provisions are re-numbered accordingly.
(j) For purposes of determining the income of an individual to establish eligibility for, and the amount of, benefits payable under title XVI of the Social Security Act, eligibility for medical assistance under the Reforming and Regionalizing Public Healthcare Act of 2017 and other medical assistance under title XIX (or a waiver of such plan), or eligibility for child health assistance under the State child health plan under title XXI (or a waiver of the plan), the amount of any benefit to which the individual is entitled under title II of such Act shall be deemed not to exceed the amount of the benefit that would be determined for such individual under such title as in effect on the day before the date of the enactment of this Act.
SECTION IV: ADMINISTRATION OF SOCIAL SECURITY. (a) The annual budget of the Social Security Administration shall be increased by 5% for FY 2021.
(i) The annual budget of the Social Security Administration shall be increased by a further 1% for every FY starting from FY 2022 for 5 consecutive years.
(b) The Social Security Administration shall hereby be instructed to merge the Federal Old-Age and Survivors Insurance Trust Fund and the Federal Disability Insurance Trust Fund to form the Social Security Trust Fund.
SECTION V: SOCIAL SECURITY PAYROLL TAX REFORM. (a) The Maximum Taxable Earnings cap for the Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance (OASDI) payroll tax shall be phased out.
(b) From the 1st of January 2024, the rate of Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance (OASDI) payroll tax shall be increased to 0.6% on earnings above the Maximum Taxable Earnings cap.
(i) On the 1st of January of every subsequent year, the rate of Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance (OASDI) payroll tax shall be increased by an additional 0.7% on earnings above the Maximum Earnings cap.
(ii) This process shall continue until the rate of Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance (OASDI) payroll tax paid on earnings above the Maximum Taxable Earnings cap is equal to the rate paid on earnings below the cap - the Maximum Taxable Earnings cap thereby being eliminated.
(c) A Minimum Taxable Earning cap of $15,000 shall be added for the Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance (OASDI) payroll tax.
(i) All earnings below this cap shall not be taxed under the Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance (OASDI) payroll tax.
(ii) The Minimum Taxable Earning cap shall be adjusted for inflation on an annual basis.
SECTION VI: IMPLEMENTATION. (a) Unless otherwise stated, the provisions of this act shall take effect on the 1st of January 2021.
