,i  #aaith ,,congress  #ast ,session    
,h4 ,r4 #cfie  ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of  
,,representatives  ,june #c1 #bjbe,mr4  
,riley of ,new ,york 7for himself and   
,mr4 ,van ,drew7 introduced the         
following bill2 which was referred to   
the ,committee on ,ways and ,means  ,a  
,,bill  ,to require the ,commissioner of
 ,social ,security to ensure that       
individuals can access the services of  
the ,social ,security ,administration   
through a telephone service1 an internet
 portal1 and an in-person visit4  #a4   
,short title  ,this ,act may be cited as
 the ,social ,security ,access ,act4    
#b4 ,social security service channel    
options  7a7 ,requirement for multiple  
service channel options  7#a7 ,in       
general ,upon the date of enactment of  
this ,act1 the ,commissioner of ,social 
,security shall ensure that individuals 
seeking services1 submitting            
information1 or applying for benefits   
under titles ,,ii or ,,xvi of the       
,social ,security ,act are provided with

 the option of applying for such        
benefits or submitting information      
related to receiving such services or   
benefits to the ,social ,security       
,administration are able to seek        
services1 submit information1 or apply  
for such benefits through each of the   
following service channel options3 7,a7 
,telephone access ,a toll-free telephone
 service for direct assistance with     
inquiries1 claims1 and appeals related  
to the receipt of such services or      
benefits1 including the ability to speak
 with a representative during standard  
business hours4  7,b7 ,online access ,an
 internet-based portal to submit and    
track claims for such services or       
benefits1 make inquiries1 and receive   
updates on such claims and inquiries4   
7,c7 ,in-person access ,in-person       
assistance at ,social ,security         
,administration field offices4  7#b7    
,telephone service requirements ,in     
providing the telephone service required
 by paragraph 7#a77;,a71 the            

,commissioner shall ensure that the     
telephone service-- 7,a7 is available in
 ,english1 ,spanish1 and such other     
languages to meet the needs of the      
populations served1 as determined by the
 ,commissioner2  7,b7 is made available 
to individuals in all geographic areas  
of the ,united ,states2 and  7,c7 has in
 place the appropriate safeguards to    
ensure the security and identity of     
individuals using such telephone        
service4  7#c7 ,telephone access for    
major account changes ,notwithstanding  
any subregulatory change or guidance    
issued by the ,commissioner of ,social  
,security1 the ,commissioner shall      
ensure that individuals are permitted to
 complete the following through the     
telephone service described in          
subsection 7a77#a77;,a73 7,a7 ,complete 
application for social security benefits
 ,initiate and complete applications for
 any benefit under title ,,ii or title  
,,xvi of the ,social ,security ,act4    
7,b7 ,direct deposit changes requirement

 ,request and verify changes to direct  
deposit information4  7b7 ,reports  7#a7
 ,initial report ,not later than #a year
 after the date of enactment of this    
,act1 the ,comptroller ,general of the  
,united ,states shall submit to         
,congress a report on the ,social       
,security ,administration's             
implementation of the requirements under
 subsection 7a71 including--  7,a7 the  
effectiveness of each service channel   
described in subsection 7a77#a7 in      
meeting the customer service and benefit
 access needs of individuals2  7,b7     
difficulties or barriers encountered by 
individuals in accessing the telephone  
service described in subsection         
7a77#a77;,a72  7,c7 security measures   
taken by the ,administration to protect 
the personal information of individuals 
using such telephone service2 and  7,d7 
recommendations for improving the       
implementation of the requirements under
 subsection 7a74  7#b7 ,annual report   
,not later than #a year after the report

 described in subparagraph 7,a7 is      
submitted to ,congress1 and annually    
thereafter1 the ,commissioner shall     
submit to ,congress a report on-- 7,a7  
the number of individuals assisted      
through each service channel2  7,b7 the 
number of individuals who have used the 
telephone service described in          
subsection 7a77#a77;,a7 for applications
 and major account changes2  7,c7 the   
average wait time for an individual to  
be assisted through such telephone      
service2  7,d7 the security measures in 
place to protect the personal           
information of individuals when using   
such telephone service2  7,e7 any       
reported difficulties or barriers       
encountered by individuals in accessing 
such telephone service2  7,f7 plans for 
improving such telephone service1 if    
necessary2  7,g7 the effectiveness of   
each service channel option in meeting  
the customer service and benefit access 
needs of individuals2 and  7,h7 any     
additional measures taken to improve the

 accessibility or delivery of services4