PL 106-51 Emergency Steel Loan Guarantee and Emergency Oil and Gas Guaranteed Loan Act of 1999 (enacted 8/17/99)

Unless specified in the statute, legislation is effective upon enactment. For full text of legislation visit the website of the Library of Congress.

Contains a rescission of $7,981,000 from the FY 1999 appropriation.

Continuing Appropriations Resolutions

PL 106-62 (10/1/99 - 10/21/99) (enacted 9/29/99)
PL 106-75 (10/21/99 - 10/29/99) (enacted 10/21/99)
PL 106-85 (10/29/99 - 11/5/99) (enacted 10/29/99)
PL 106-88 (11/5/99 - 11/10/99) (enacted 11/5/99)
PL 106-94 (11/10/99 - 11/17/99) (enacted 11/10/99)
PL 106-105 (11/17/99 -11/18/99) (enacted 11/18/99)
PL 106-106 (11/18/99 - 12/2/99) (enacted 11/19/99)
Making continuing appropriations for FY 2000 at FY 1999 levels until enactment of permanent FY 2000 appropriations.

PL 106-97 An Act to Authorize a Cost of Living Adjustment in the Pay of Administrative Law Judge (enacted 11/12/99)

PL 106-113 Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2000 (enacted 11/29/99)

PL 106-169 Foster Care Independence Act of 1999 (enacted 12/14/99)

Section 201 makes representative payees (RPs) liable for payments made to them on behalf of an OASDI or SSI beneficiary after the beneficiary's death; requires SSA to establish an overpayment (O/P) record under the RP's SSN; effective for O/Ps made on or after 12/14/00.
Section 202 provides authority to the COSS to recover SSI overpayments from SSI lump-sum amounts by withholding 50 percent of the lump sum or the amount of the overpayment, whichever is less; effective for O/Ps made on or after 12/14/00.
Section 203 authorizes SSA to use several debt management tools with respect to SSI O/Ps, including credit bureau reporting, offset by Treasury Dept., charging interest, penalties and other fees, and Federal salary offset; effective for debts outstanding on or after 12/14/00.
Section 204 requires COSS to provide State prisoner information, on a reimbursable basis, to federally assisted benefit programs.
Section 205 relates to the classification of assets held in trust as resources for SSI purposes; effective 1/1/00.
Section 206 relates to the period of ineligibility to be imposed when there is a disposal of resource(s) for less than market value under SSI.
Section 207 establishes an administrative procedure for imposing penalties (nonpayment of benefits for 6, 12 or 24 months) for making representations or statements of material facts for use in determining initial or continuing benefits that are false, misleading, or omit material fact; requires the COSS to issue regulations governing the procedure within 6 months (by 6/14/00); and amends prior Act by eliminating redundant Title XVI provision found in section 201 of PL 104-193.
Section 208 requires the COSS to exclude representatives and health care providers convicted of certain violations or determined to have committed certain offenses from participating in those roles in Title II and Title XVI programs.
Section 209 deems SSA’s data privacy standards to meet all state privacy standards for purposes of sharing data.
Section 210 requires the COSS, in consultation with the SSA IG and the AG, to study measures to prevent fraud on the part of individuals entitled to Social Security disability benefits or SSI payments and to timely process changes in reported income by individuals receiving such benefits, and to report legislative and administrative recommendations in these areas to Congress within 1 year.
Section 211 requires the COSS to include in the annual budget an itemization of funds used to combat fraud by applicants and beneficiaries for FYs after FY 1999.
Section 212 requires the COSS to conduct periodic computer matches of the data HHS maintains for Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries; and permits the COSS to substitute information from the matches for the physician’s certification otherwise required in order to maintain the full benefit level of an individual whose institutionalization is expected not to exceed 3 months.
Section 213 authorizes the COSS to require, as a condition of eligibility, SSI claimants and applicants to provide permission to access information held by financial institutions; effective 12/14/99.
Section 251 establishes a program of special benefits for certain World War II veterans and creates Title VIII of the Social Security Act.
Section 261 requires the COSS to conduct a study of the reasons why family farmers with resources of less than $100,000 are denied SSI benefits, and to report the results to Congress by 12/14/00.

PL 106-170 Ticket to Work and Work Incentives Improvement Act of 1999 (enacted 12/17/99)

Section 101(a) amends Part A of Title XI of the Social Security Act by adding the following new sections:
Section 1148(a) in which the COSS will establish a Ticket to Work (TTW) and Self-Sufficiency Program under which a disabled beneficiary may use a ticket issued by the COSS to obtain employment services, VR services or other support services from an Employment Network (EN) that the beneficiary chooses; effective 1/1/01, with phased implementation to be completed by 1/1/04.
Section 1148(b) outlines the distribution and assignment of tickets, the terms of the ticket and payments to EN.
Section 1148(c) allows each State agency approved under title I of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 to participate in the program as an EN.
Section 1148(d)provides guidelines for Agency oversight of the program manager and ENs.
Section 1148(e) defines program manager duties as recruitment of ENs, facilitation of access by beneficiaries to ENs and ensuring availability of and reasonable access to adequate services.
Section 1148(f) outlines the qualifications for ENs and reporting requirements.
Section 1148(g) requires each EN to ensure that employment and VR services are provided under appropriate individual work plans for a disabled beneficiary.
Section 1148(h) delineates the EN payment systems in regards to outcome and outcome-milestone payment and requires COSS to review adequacy of EN payment systems and make changes to ensure that such systems provide adequate incentives for ENs while generating economies and requires COSS submit to Congress by 12/17/02 a report with recommendations for adjusting EN payment rates to ensure adequate incentives for ENs to serve certain beneficiaries.
Section 1148(i) provides for suspension of CDR during any period for which a beneficiary is using, as defined by COSS, a ticket to work and self-sufficiency.
Section 1148(j) authorizes payments to ENs for Title II beneficiaries to be transferred from OASDI fund and payments for Title XVI beneficiaries to be included in appropriations as necessary, and provides that costs of administering this section (other than payments to ENs) shall be paid from amounts available for administration of Titles II and XVI as appropriate.
Section 1148(k) provides definitions of the terms used in this section.
Section 1148(l) requires COSS to prescribe such regulations as are necessary to carry out provisions of this Act not later than one year after date of enactment.
Section 101(b)(1) amends section 221(i) of the Social Security Act to include a cross-reference to section 1148(i) on suspension of reviews in cases where the individual is using a ticket to work; repeals sections 222(a) and 222(b) of the Social Security Act and amends section 225(b) of the Social Security Act to cover persons participating in the TTW program or another program of VR, employment or other support services approved by the COSS.
Section 101(b)(2) amends section 1615(a) of the Social Security Act to eliminate requirement that the blind and/or disabled Title XVI recipients ages 16 to 64 be referred to State VR agencies, while retaining requirement that the COSS refer blind and/or disabled recipients under age 16 to an appropriate State program under Title V; repeals section 1615(c) of the Social Security Act; amends section 1631(a)(6) of the Social Security Act to cover persons participating in the TTW program or another program of VR, employment or other support services approved by the COSS and amends section 1633(c) of the Social Security Act to include a cross-reference to section 1148(i).
Section 101(c) makes the amendments in sections 101(a) and 101(b) effective the first month following 1 year after date of enactment.
Section 101(d) requires the COSS to implement amendments in sections 101(a) and (b) of this Act (other than amendments repealing sections 222(b) and 1615(c) of the Social Security Act); requires the COSS to ensure that implementation of the program in every State is effective no later than 3 years after effective date in section 101(c) and requires the COSS to provide for ongoing independent evaluations, addressing the cost-effectiveness and results of the TTW program, including consultation with others and periodic reports to Congress; also instructs the COSS to determine by regulation the extent to which the requirements of and authority granted by section 222 of the Social Security Act shall apply to States that have not fully implemented the amendments of subsection (a) of this provision.
Section 101(e) directs the COSS to prescribe such regulations as are necessary to implement amendments made in section 101.
Section 101(f) establishes a TTW and Work Incentives Advisory Panel whose duties include advising the President, Congress and the COSS on work incentives programs under the Social Security Act.
Section 111 eliminates work activity standard as a basis for CDR for beneficiaries who have received disability for at least 24 months; effective 1/1/02.
Section 112 provides for expedited reinstatement of disability benefits for beneficiaries whose entitlement terminated due to performance of SGA; effective 1/1/01.
Section 121 creates section 1149 of the Social Security Act, which directs the COSS to establish a community-based work incentives program for purpose of disseminating accurate work incentives information to disabled beneficiaries and requires that there be work incentives specialists within SSA.
Section 122 creates section 1150 of the Social Security Act, which authorizes SSA to make payments in each State to Protection & Advocacy systems for purpose of providing services to disabled beneficiaries; effective 12/17/99.
Section 201 gives States the option to expand Medicaid coverage to working individuals with disabilities using I&R limits set by the States.
Section 202 expands Medicare HI coverage from 24 to 78 months for most disability beneficiaries who engage in SGA yet remain disabled; effective 10/1/00.
Section 301 authorizes SSA to develop demonstration projects to determine advantages of alternative methods of treating work activity, altering limitations and conditions applicable to Title II disabled beneficiaries, and implementing sliding scale benefit offsets.
Section 302 authorizes SSA to conduct demonstration projects providing for reductions in Title II disability benefits based on earnings ($1 for $2); requires interim report to Congress not later than 2 years after enactment and annually thereafter; requires final report within 1 year of project completion.
Section 303(d) requires SSA to identify all income, assets and resource disregards applicable to Title II and Title XVI beneficiaries and report to Congress within 90 days after enactment whether further statutory or regulatory modifications are appropriate.
Section 401 makes technical amendments to Title II DA&A provisions (from PL 104-121), including when a claim is finally adjudicated, representative payment and treatment referrals effective as if included in PL 104-121; effective 3/29/96 (retroactive).
Section 402(a) authorizes SSA to enter into agreements with penal and mental institutions to obtain identifying information about inmates/patients and authorizes incentive payments to institutions for information resulting in a suspension of Title II benefits to inmates/patients; effective for individuals whose confinement begins on or after 4/1/00.
Section 402(b) changes Title II requirement (for purposes of suspending benefits) that confinement stem from crime punishable by imprisonment for more than 1 year to crime punishable by imprisonment for more than 30 consecutive days; effective for individuals whose confinement begins on or after 4/1/00.
Section 402(c) reduces by 50 percent Title XVI incentive payment in cases involving comparable Title II payment and expands categories of institutions eligible to enter into agreements with SSA; effective as if included in section 203(a) of PL 104-193 (retroactive).
Section 402(d) continues denial of Title II benefits to certain sex offenders remaining confined to public institutions upon completion of prison term; effective for benefits for months beginning 12/1/99.
Section 403 provides a two-year window for the revocation of exemption from coverage by clergy members; applications for revocation must be filed before the due date for the income tax return for the applicant’s second tax year beginning after 12/31/99.
Section 404 permits the COSS to provide funds, either by installment or reimbursement, to States into which the Agency has entered a Title II research partnership agreement.
Section 405 authorizes States to permit employers to submit wage reports with respect to domestic service employment on a CY basis.
Section 406 permits the COSS to impose an assessment of no more than 6.3 percent on attorneys who receive their fees via SSA and prohibits attorneys from requesting claimant reimbursement.
Section 410 requires States with SSI supplementation agreements to remit payments and fees to the COSS no later than the day preceding the due date of benefits or the fifth business day following the last month in the State's FY; authorizes the COSS to assess a 5 percent penalty for late payment; effective with respect to monthly benefits paid under Title XVI after 9/09.

PL 106-182 Senior Citizens' Freedom to Work Act of 2000 (enacted 4/7/00)

PL 106-207 Hmong Veterans' Naturalization Act of 2000 (enacted 5/26/00)

PL 106-208 National Historic Preservation Act Amendments of 2000 (enacted 5/26/00)

PL 106-245 Radiation Exposure Compensation Act Amendments of 2000 (enacted 7/10/00)

PL 106-246 Military Construction Appropriations Act, 2001 (enacted 7/13/00)

PL 106-265 Federal Long-Term Care Insurance (enacted 9/19/00)

Continuing Appropriations Resolutions

PL 106-386 Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act of 2000 (enacted 10/28/00)

PL 106-395 Child Citizenship Act of 2000 (enacted 10/30/00)

PL 106-433 Social Security Number Confidentiality Act of 2000 (enacted 11/6/00)

PL 106-475 Veterans Claims Assistance Act of 2000 (enacted 11/9/00)

PL 106-531 Reports Consolidation Act of 2000 (enacted 11/22/00)

PL 106-554 Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2001(enacted 12/21/00)

Appendix A - Depts. of Labor, HHS and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2001
Title IV contains SSA appropriations for FY 2001, including payments to the Trust Funds, special benefits for disabled coal miners, SSI (including CDRs), allotted funds for the SSAB and section 302 of PL 106-170.
Section 515 changes the effective date in Section 410(b) of PL 106-170 from 2009 to 2001.
Section 518 inserts section 810A into Title VIII authorizing the COSS to make payments to qualified veterans receiving special veterans' benefits (SVB) on behalf of the State, and requires the State to reimburse the COSS; effective 12/21/00.
Section 519 provides that certain statutory employees will be considered as self-employed for SSI purposes for tax years beginning 1/1/01.
Section 610, which is part of the Assets for Independence Act Amendments of 2000, excludes funds in an individual development account for determining means-tested program eligibility and benefit amount.

Appendix C - Treasury and General Government Appropriations Act, 2001
Title I makes appropriations for the Treasury Dept., including the Earned Income Tax Credit Compliance Initiative which specifies that $10 million may be used to reimburse SSA for the costs of implementing section 1090 of PL 105-34.
Section 645 sets AAJ pay at not less than the minimum, nor greater than the maximum, basic pay for level AL-3; to be applied 120 days after 12/21/00, or the effective date of OPM regulations implementing this amendment.

Appendix F - Medicare, Medicaid, and SCHIP Benefits Improvement and Protection Act of 2000
Section 115 waives the 24-month waiting period for Medicare coverage for individuals disabled with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS); effective 7/1/01.
Section 521 makes revisions to the Medicare appeals process including a 90-day limit for an ALJ hearing decision and the right to request review by the Departmental Appeals Board (DAB) when the 90-day period is not adhered to and provides for the Sec. of HHS to provide continuing education for ALJs (with consultation of the COSS); effective 10/1/02.
Section 522 establishes a new right to challenge Medicare coverage policies and provides that an SSA ALJ will review a complaint by an aggrieved party of a local coverage decision; effective 10/1/01.
Section 606 permits Part B Medicare premium reductions for beneficiaries enrolled in Medicare+Choice plans; effective 1/1/03.
Section 911 requires the COSS to conduct outreach efforts to identify and notify individuals who may be eligible for medical assistance for Medicare cost-sharing under the Medicaid program effective 12/21/01; requires GAO to study the effect of these outreach efforts on enrollment and to issue a report to Congress not later than 18 months after the beginning of this outreach effort.

Appendix G - Community Renewal Tax Relief Act of 2000
Section 308(a) directs the OMB Director to determine if the CPI computation error for 1999 has or will result in a shortfall in payments or benefits of Federal programs and to have the heads of agencies that administer such programs make corrective payments.
Section 308(b) directs each agency to make an initial determination of the shortfall and to submit a report to OMB and Congress within 30 days describing the shortfall.
Section 308(d) excludes any such corrective payment from income under Title VIII or any means-tested program.