Social Security Law

Social Security Law and the Social Security Act of 1935 was enacted to provide for the general welfare by establishing a system of Federal old-age benefits, and by enabling the several States to make more adequate provision for aged persons, blind persons, dependent and crippled children, maternal and child welfare, public health, and the administration of their unemployment compensation laws; to establish a Social Security Board; to raise revenue; and for other purposes.

Social Security Law Disability Amendments of 1984

The Disability Benefits Reform Act of 1984 (P.L. 98-460) was a set of reforms designed to pull-back on some of the perceived excesses of the Continuing Disability Reviews undertaken by the Social Security Administration in the wake of the mandates in the 1980 Social Security Amendments. H.R. 3755 was reported to the House as a Committee Bill from the Ways and Means Committee on March 14, 1984, the House past the bill on March 27th by a vote of 410 to 1 (with 22 Not Voting). On May 15, 1984 the Senate Finance Committee began its mark-up of its own version of the bill (S. 476) which was introduced in the Senate on May 22, 1984 and which passed the Senate that same day on a vote of 96 Yeas and 4 Not Voting. The Conference Report (Report 98-1039) was introduced in both houses on September 19, 1984 and passed both that same day. The legislation was signed into law by President Reagan on October 9, 1984.

Social Security Law Welfare Amendments of 1996

The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (P.L. 104-193) began life as H.R. 3734 in the House of Representatives. This main purpose of this bill was to repeal Title IV of the Social Security Act of 1935, and the program then known as Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC). This is the only program from the 1935 Social Security Act to ever have been repealed. Popularly, the bill was known as "welfare reform" legislation. The main reform introduced by the bill was the end to AFDC as a categorical entitlement and its replacement by a time-limited benefit program, tied to a work requirement. The new program is known as Temporary Aid to Needy Families (TANF). H.R. 3742 was one of several versions of the legislation that had been introduced in the House starting in early 1995. H.R. 3742 was the version that finally prevailed in the House, passing the House on July 18, 1996 by a vote of 256-120. The Senate began work on its own bill (S. 1956) in July 1996, and after the House passed H.R. 3742 the text of the House bill was incorporated into S. 1956, and this expanded bill passed the Senate on July 23, 1996 by a vote of 74-24. The Conference on the differing bills was concluded on July 30, 1996 and the Conference Agreement (House Report No. 104-725) was considered in the House the next day, and in the Senate two days later.

Social Security Law Resources

• Social Security Disability - Comprehensive Social Security Disability Resource Website.
• Social Security Online - The Official website of the Social Security Administration.
• The Social Security Electronic Newsletter - from the Social Security Administration.