,i #aagth ,,congress #ast ,session ,h4 ,r4 #ciae ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,june #ae1 #bjba,mr4 ,reed introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,ways and ,means ,a ,,bill ,to amend title ,,ii of the ,social ,security ,act to improve social security benefits for widows and widowers in two-income households1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,strengthening ,social ,security for ,widows ,act4 #b4 ,improving social security benefits for widows and widowers in two-income households 7a7 ,in general 7#a7 ,widows ,section #bjb7;e7 of the ,social ,security ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #djb7;e77 is amended-- 7,a7 in paragraph 7#a7-- 7i7 in subparagraph 7,b71 by inserting and at the end2 7ii7 in subparagraph 7,c77iii71 by striking and at the end2 7iii7 by striking subparagraph 7,d72 7iv7 by redesignating subparagraphs 7,e7 and 7,f7 as subparagraphs 7,d7 and 7,e71 respectively2 and 7v7 in the flush matter following subparagraph 7,e77ii71 as so redesignated1 by striking or becomes entitled to an old-age insurance benefit and all that follows through such deceased individual12 7,b7 by striking subparagraph 7,a7 in paragraph 7#b7 and inserting the following3 7#b7 7,a7 ,except as provided in subsection 7k77#e71 subsection 7q71 and subparagraph 7,d7 of this paragraph1 such widow's insurance benefit for each month shall be equal to the greater of-- 7i7 the primary insurance amount 7as determined for purposes of this subsection after application of subparagraphs 7,b7 and 7,c77 of such deceased individual1 or 7ii7 subject to paragraph 7#i71 in the case of a fully insured widow or surviving divorced wife1 #ge percent of the sum of any old-age or disability insurance benefit for which the widow or the surviving divorced wife is entitled for such month and the primary insurance amount 7as determined for purposes of this subsection after application of subparagraphs 7,b7 and 7,c77 of such deceased individual4 2 7,c7 in paragraph 7#e7-- 7i7 in subparagraph 7,a71 by striking paragraph 7#a77;,f7 and inserting paragraph 7#a77;,e72 and 7ii7 in subparagraph 7,b71 by striking paragraph 7#a77;,f77i7 and inserting paragraph 7#a77;,e77i72 and 7,d7 by adding at the end the following3 7#i7 ,for purposes of paragraph 7#b77;,a77ii71 the amount determined under such paragraph shall not exceed the primary insurance amount for such month of a hypothetical individual-- 7,a7 who became entitled to old-age insurance benefits upon attaining early retirement age during the month in which the deceased individual referred to in paragraph 7#a7 became entitled to old-age or disability insurance benefits1 or died 7before becoming entitled to such benefits71 and 7,b7 to whom wages and self-employment income were credited in each of such hypothetical individual's elapsed years 7within the meaning of section #bae7;b77#b77;,b77iii77 in an amount equal to the national average wage index 7as described in section #bji7k77#a77 for each such year4 4 7#b7 ,widowers ,section #bjb7;f7 of the ,social ,security ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #djb7;f77 is amended-- 7,a7 in paragraph 7#a7-- 7i7 in subparagraph 7,b71 by inserting and at the end2 7ii7 in subparagraph 7,c77iii71 by striking and at the end2 7iii7 by striking subparagraph 7,d72 7iv7 by redesignating subparagraphs 7,e7 and 7,f7 as subparagraphs 7,d7 and 7,e71 respectively2 and 7v7 in the flush matter following subparagraph 7,e77ii71 as so redesignated1 by striking or becomes entitled to an old-age insurance benefit and all that follows through such deceased individual12 7,b7 by striking subparagraph 7,a7 in paragraph 7#b7 and inserting the following3 7#b7 7,a7 ,except as provided in subsection 7k77#e71 subsection 7q71 and subparagraph 7,d7 of this paragraph1 such widower's insurance benefit for each month shall be equal to the greater of-- 7i7 the primary insurance amount 7as determined for purposes of this subsection after application of subparagraphs 7,b7 and 7,c77 of such deceased individual1 or 7ii7 subject to paragraph 7#i71 in the case of a fully insured widower or surviving divorced husband1 #ge percent of the sum of any old-age or disability insurance benefit for which the widower or the surviving divorced husband is entitled for such month and the primary insurance amount 7as determined for purposes of this subsection after application of subparagraphs 7,b7 and 7,c77 of such deceased individual4 2 7,c7 in paragraph 7#e7-- 7i7 in subparagraph 7,a71 by striking paragraph 7#a77;,f7 and inserting paragraph 7#a77;,e72 and 7ii7 in subparagraph 7,b71 by striking paragraph 7#a77;,f77i7 and inserting paragraph 7#a77;,e77i72 and 7,d7 by adding at the end the following3 7#i7 ,for purposes of paragraph 7#b77;,a77ii71 the amount determined under such paragraph shall not exceed the primary insurance amount for such month of a hypothetical individual-- 7,a7 who became entitled to old-age insurance benefits upon attaining early retirement age during the month in which the deceased individual referred to in paragraph 7#a7 became entitled to old-age or disability insurance benefits1 or died 7before becoming entitled to such benefits71 and 7,b7 to whom wages and self-employment income were credited in each of such hypothetical individual's elapsed years 7within the meaning of section #bae7;b77#b77;,b77iii77 in an amount equal to the national average wage index 7as described in section #bji7k77#a77 for each such year4 4 7b7 ,effective date ,the amendments made by this section shall apply with respect to widow's and widower's insurance benefits payable for months after ,december #bjbc4 #c4 ,benefits for disabled surviving spouses 7a7 ,in general 7#a7 ,eligibility for widow's insurance benefits ,section #bjb7;e77#a77;,b77ii7 of the ,social ,security ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #djb7;e77#a77;,b77ii77 is amended by striking has attained age #ej but has not attained age #fj and4 7#b7 ,eligibility for widower's insurance benefits ,section #bjb7;f77#a77;,b77ii7 of such ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #djb7;f77#a77;,b77ii77 is amended by striking has attained age #ej but has not attained age #fj and4 7#c7 ,conforming amendment ,section #bjb7q77#c77;,a7 of such ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #djb7q77#c77;,a77 is amended by striking ,if the first month and all that follows through widow's or widower's insurance benefit7 and inserting ,if the first month for which an individual both is entitled to a wife's or husband's insurance benefit and has attained age #fb or for which an individual is entitled to a widow's or widower's insurance benefit4 7b7 ,preclusion of entitlement after early remarriage 7#a7 ,widow's insurance benefits ,section #bjb7;e77#a77;,b77ii7 of such ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #djb7;e77#a77;,b77ii77 is amended by inserting and has not remarried prior to attaining the age which is #ab years less than early retirement age 7as defined in section #baf7l77#b77 before the comma4 7#b7 ,widower's insurance benefits ,section #bjb7;f77#a77;,b77ii7 of such ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #djb7;f77#a77;,b77ii77 is amended by inserting and has not remarried prior to attaining the age which is #ab years less than early retirement age 7as defined in section #baf7l77#b77 before the comma4 7c7 ,effective date ,the amendments made by this section shall apply with respect to benefits payable for months after ,december #bjbb and for which applications are filed after ,december #bjbb4