HR 1876
Keeping Our Field Offices Open Act
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Bill overview
The Keeping Our Field Offices Open Act temporarily prevents the closure, consolidation, or limitation of access to Social Security Administration (SSA) offices and stations. It requires the SSA Commissioner to submit a report justifying any future changes to office locations, outlining the criteria used for decisions and considering factors like transportation and communication burdens. The bill also mandates public notice, hearings, and an appeals process for individuals affected by closures, and ensures that the number of SSA offices and stations remains at or above the level as of January 20, 2025. The moratorium will end 180 days after the report is submitted.
Key provisions
- Temporarily prohibits closure, consolidation, or access limitations to SSA offices and stations through January 21, 2029.
- Requires the SSA Commissioner to submit a report justifying future office changes, detailing selection criteria and considering transportation burdens.
- Mandates public notice, hearings, and an appeals process for individuals affected by closures.
- Ensures the number of SSA offices and stations does not fall below the level as of January 20, 2025.
- Establishes a 120-day notice period before closures, consolidations, or limitations on access.
- Requires submission of a final report to Congress and Members of Congress before any closure, consolidation, or limitation on access.
- Allows for individual appeals of closure decisions.
- Excludes emergency closures from the moratorium.
Who is affected
- Social Security Recipients
- Individuals Seeking Social Security Benefits
Sponsors
Official sponsors from legislative records.
Primary sponsor
Cosponsors
Becca [D-VT-At Large] Balint
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119th CONGRESS — 1st Session
H. R. 1876
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
A BILL
To prevent closure of social security field and hearing offices and resident stations.
This Act may be cited as the Keeping Our Field Offices Open Act
.
a description of how the Commissioner has analyzed and considered relevant factors, including transportation and communication burdens faced by individuals serviced by the offices and stations, including elderly and disabled individuals; and
a description of any method of cost-benefit analysis applied by the Commissioner in connection with closures and consolidations of such offices and stations, and other limitations on access the offices and stations, including any analysis that takes into account—
the anticipated savings resulting from the closure, consolidation, or limitation on access;
the anticipated costs associated with replacing services lost by the closure, consolidation, or limitation on access;
the anticipated effects on employees of the offices or stations affected;
how the loss of access resulting from the closure, consolidation, or limitation on access will be replaced by the establishment of a new field or hearing office or resident station, increased access at a different office or station, or some other means, and the factors considered by the Commissioner in determining how to replace such lost access; and
such other relevant factors as may be determined by the Commissioner, including but not limited to transportation and communication burdens faced by individuals serviced by the offices and stations, including elderly and disabled individuals.
Section 704 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 904) is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:
The requirements of this paragraph are met in connection with a closure, consolidation, or new limitation on access referred to in paragraph (1) only if—
not later than 120 days before the date of the closure, consolidation, or limitation on access, the Commissioner provides effective public notice of the proposed closure, consolidation, or limitation on access (including, to the extent practicable, notice by direct mailing and through community outlets such as newspapers and posting in heavily frequented public spaces) to individuals residing in the area serviced by the affected offices or stations;
the public notice issued pursuant to clause (i) includes information on—
how the Commissioner will, not later than 30 days after the date of the closure, consolidation, or limitation on access, replace the loss in access resulting from the closure, consolidation, or limitation on access by establishing a new office or station, increasing public access to a different office or station, or some other means; and
how to contact the Administration if an individual experiences service delays or problems as a result of the closure, consolidation, or limitation on access; and
The justifications referred to in subparagraph (A)(iii) shall consist of the following:
a description of how the Commissioner has analyzed and considered relevant factors, including but not limited to transportation and communication burdens faced by individuals serviced by the offices or stations, including elderly and disabled individuals; and
the anticipated costs associated with replacing services lost by the closure, consolidation, or limitation on access;
The notice provided pursuant to subparagraph (A)(i) shall include notice of the time and place of the public hearings to be conducted pursuant to clause (A)(iii) and of the right of aggrieved individuals to appeal to the Commissioner regarding the proposed closure, consolidation, or limitation on access pursuant to paragraph (4).
The requirements of this paragraph are met in connection with a closure, consolidation, or limitation on access referred to in paragraph (1) only if, not later than 30 days before the date of the proposed closure, consolidation, or limitation on access, the Commissioner submits to the Committee on Ways and Means of the House of Representatives, the Committee on Finance of the Senate, and each Member of the Congress representing a State or congressional district in which the affected office or offices, or station or stations, are located a detailed final report in support of the closure, consolidation, or limitation on access. Such report shall include—
any findings made by the Commissioner pursuant to the public hearings;
the status of any appeals regarding the closure, consolidation, or new limitation on access which were commenced pursuant to paragraph (4) before the date of the report;
such other information as the Commissioner considers relevant.
Upon timely request by any individual who makes a showing in writing described in subparagraph (B) in connection with a proposed closure, consolidation, or limitation on access referred to in subparagraph (A), the Commissioner shall give such individual an opportunity for a hearing with respect to the closure, consolidation, or limitation on access. The request for the hearing shall be considered timely only if it is made not later than 30 days before the proposed date of the closure, consolidation, or limitation on access. The Commissioner shall submit to the Committee on Ways and Means of the House of Representatives, the Committee on Finance of the Senate, and each Member of the Congress representing a State or congressional district in which the affected office or offices, or station or stations, are located the Commissioner’s findings based on the hearing and a description of any action taken or to be taken by the Commissioner on the basis of such findings.
A showing described in subparagraph (A) shall consist of a showing that—
the determination of the Commissioner to close a field or hearing office or resident station, consolidate field or hearing offices or resident stations, or impose a new limitation on access to such offices or stations is arbitrary, capricious, an abuse of discretion, not in accordance with law, or not based on substantial evidence; or
the Commissioner has failed to observe procedures required by law in connection with the closure, consolidation, or new limitation on access.
The amendment made by paragraph (1) of this subsection shall apply with respect to closures and consolidations of field or hearing offices and resident stations and impositions of new limitations on access to such offices and stations occurring after the cessation of the moratorium under subsection (a) of this section.