,,ii #aadth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 #bgba ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,march #ag1 #bjaf,mr4 ,murphy 7for himself and ,mr4 ,sanders7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,finance ,a ,,bill ,to amend title ,,ii of the ,social ,security ,act to credit individuals serving as caregivers of dependent relatives with deemed wages for up to five years of such service4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,social ,security ,caregiver ,credit ,act of #bjaf4 #b4 ,findings and ,sense of the ,senate 7a7 ,findings ,congress finds that3 7#a7 ,caregiving is an essential element of family life and a vital service for children1 the ill1 the disabled1 and the elderly4 7#b7 ,the establishment of a caregiver credit would bolster the economic prospects of unpaid caregivers and would provide them with vital retirement security4 7#c7 ,the #bjae ,annual ,report of the ,board of ,trustees of the ,federal ,old-,age and ,survivors ,insurance and ,federal ,disability ,insurance ,trust ,funds concluded that the combined ,trust ,funds will be able to pay scheduled benefits in full until #bjcd4 7#d7 ,while there is no immediate crisis1 policy options should be considered to extend ,,oasdi solvency1 including by eradicating the gender wage gap1 increasing overall employment1 or increasing the minimum wage4 7b7 ,sense of the ,senate ,it is the sense of ,senate that the ,united ,states ,congress must address the unfair exclusion of professional and hardworking home care providers who are not eligible to receive ,social ,security or ,medicare because they provide paid care to a family member with a disability under programs operated at the ,state and local level for general health and welfare protection4 #c4 ,deemed wages for caregivers of dependent relatives 7a7 ,in general ,title ,,ii of the ,social ,security ,act is amended by adding after section #bcd 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #dcd7 the following new section3 #bce4 ,deemed wages for caregivers of dependent relatives 7a7 ,definitions ,for purposes of this section-- 7#a7 7,a7 ,subject to subparagraph 7,b71 the term qualifying month means1 in connection with an individual1 any month-- 7i7 beginning after the date which is #fj months prior to the date of the enactment of the ,social ,security ,caregiver ,credit ,act of #bjaf1 and 7ii7 during which such individual was engaged for not less than #hj hours in providing care to a dependent relative without monetary compensation4 7,b7 ,the term qualifying month does not include any month ending after the date on which such individual attains retirement age 7as defined in section #baf7l774 7#b7 ,the term dependent relative means1 in connection with an individual-- 7,a7 a child1 grandchild1 niece1 or nephew 7of such individual or such individual's spouse or domestic partner71 or a child to which the individual or the individual's spouse or domestic partner is standing in loco parentis1 who is under the age of #ab1 or 7,b7 a child1 grandchild1 niece1 or nephew 7of such individual or such individual's spouse or domestic partner71 a child to which the individual or the individual's spouse or domestic partner is standing in loco parentis1 a parent1 sibling1 aunt1 or uncle 7of such individual or his or her spouse or domestic partner71 or such individual's spouse or domestic partner1 if such child1 grandchild1 niece1 nephew1 parent1 sibling1 aunt1 uncle1 spouse1 or domestic partner is a chronically dependent individual4 7#c7 7,a7 ,the term chronically dependent individual means an individual who-- 7i7 is dependent on a daily basis on verbal reminding1 physical cueing1 supervision1 or other assistance provided to the individual by another person in the performance of at least two of the activities of daily living 7described in subparagraph 7,b77 or instrumental activities of daily living 7described in subparagraph 7,c771 and 7ii7 without the assistance described in clause 7i71 could not perform such activities of daily living or instrumental activities of daily living4 7,b7 ,the activities of daily living referred to in subparagraph 7,a7 means basic personal everyday activities1 including-- 7i7 ,eating4 7ii7 ,bathing4 7iii7 ,dressing4 7iv7 ,toileting4 7v7 ,transferring in and out of a bed or in and out of a chair4 7,c7 ,the instrumental activities of daily living referred to in subparagraph 7,a7 means activities related to living independently in the community1 including-- 7i7 ,meal planning and preparation4 7ii7 ,managing finances4 7iii7 ,shopping for food1 clothing1 or other essential items4 7iv7 ,performing essential household chores4 7v7 ,communicating by phone or other form of media4 7vi7 ,traveling around and participating in the community4 7b7 ,deemed ,wages of ,caregiver 7#a7 7,a7 ,for purposes of determining entitlement to and the amount of any monthly benefit for any month after ,december #bjaf1 or entitlement to and the amount of any lump-sum death payment in the case of a death after such month1 payable under this title on the basis of the wages and self-employment income of any individual1 and for purposes of section #baf7;i77#c71 such individual shall be deemed to have been paid during each qualifying month 7in addition to wages or self-employment income actually paid to or derived by such individual during such month7 at an amount per month equal to-- 7i7 in the case of a qualifying month during which no wages or self-employment income were actually paid to or derived by such individual1 #ej percent of the national average wage index 7as defined in section #bji7k77#a77 for the second calendar year preceding the calendar year in which such month occurs2 and 7ii7 in the case of any other qualifying month1 the excess of the amount determined under clause 7i7 over #a_/b of the wages or self-employment income actually paid to or derived by such individual during such month4 7,b7 ,in any case in which there are more than #fj qualifying months for an individual1 only the last #fj of such months shall be taken into account for purposes of this section4 7#b7 ,paragraph 7#a7 shall not be applicable in the case of any monthly benefit or lump-sum death payment if a larger such benefit or payment1 as the case may be1 would be payable without its application4 7c7 ,rules and regulations 7#a7 ,not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this section1 the ,commissioner of ,social ,security shall promulgate such regulations as are necessary to carry out this section and to prevent fraud and abuse with respect to the benefits under this section1 including regulations establishing procedures for the application and certification requirements described in paragraph 7#b74 7#b7 ,a qualifying month shall not be taken into account under this section with respect to an individual unless-- 7,a7 the individual submits to the ,commissioner of ,social ,security an application for benefits under this section that includes-- 7i7 the name and identifying information of the dependent relative with respect to whom the individual was engaged in providing care during such month2 7ii7 if the dependent relative is not a child under the age of #ab1 documentation from the physician of the dependent relative explaining why the dependent relative is a chronically dependent individual2 and 7iii7 such other information as the ,commissioner may require to verify the status of the dependent relative2 and 7,b7 for every qualifying month or period of up to #ab consecutive qualifying months that occurs after the first period of #ab consecutive qualifying months1 the individual certifies1 in such form and manner as the ,commissioner shall require1 that the information provided in the individual's application for benefits under this section has not changed4 4 7b7 ,conforming amendment ,section #bji7k77#a7 of such ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #dji7k77#a77 is amended-- 7#a7 by striking and before #bcj7;b77#b7 the first time it appears2 and 7#b7 by inserting and #bce7;b77#a77;,a77i71 after #aigg714