[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1876 Introduced in House (IH)]
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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 1876
To prevent closure of social security field and hearing offices and
resident stations.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
March 5, 2025
Mr. Larson of Connecticut (for himself, Mr. Neal, Mr. Davis of
Illinois, Mr. Horsford, Ms. Velazquez, Mr. Bishop, Mr. Deluzio, Mr.
Nadler, Ms. Tlaib, Ms. Jacobs, Mr. Grijalva, Mr. Thompson of
Mississippi, Mr. Jackson of Illinois, Ms. Titus, Mr. Cohen, Mr.
Krishnamoorthi, Ms. Budzinski, Mr. Quigley, Ms. Sanchez, Ms. Chu, Ms.
Sewell, Mr. Boyle of Pennsylvania, Mr. Schneider, Mr. Ivey, Mrs.
Cherfilus-McCormick, Mrs. McIver, Mrs. Hayes, Ms. DeLauro, Mr. Takano,
Ms. Elfreth, Ms. Ansari, Mr. Panetta, Mr. Suozzi, Mr. Khanna, Mr.
Lynch, Ms. Moore of Wisconsin, Ms. McCollum, Mrs. Watson Coleman, Mr.
Tonko, Mrs. Dingell, Mr. Thompson of California, Mr. Stanton, Ms.
Barragan, Ms. Norton, Mr. Johnson of Georgia, Mr. Gottheimer, Mr.
Auchincloss, Mr. Carson, Mr. Sorensen, Ms. Schakowsky, Mr. Landsman,
Ms. DelBene, Mr. Huffman, Mr. Pocan, Mr. Amo, Ms. Kelly of Illinois,
Ms. Underwood, Ms. Kaptur, Mr. Riley of New York, Ms. Plaskett, Ms.
Randall, Mr. Vargas, Ms. Brown, Ms. Pettersen, Mr. Mfume, Mr. Swalwell,
Ms. Brownley, Mr. Morelle, Ms. Matsui, and Mr. McGarvey) introduced the
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To prevent closure of social security field and hearing offices and
resident stations.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Keeping Our Field Offices Open
Act''.
SEC. 2. PREVENTING CLOSURE OF FIELD AND HEARING OFFICES AND RESIDENT
STATIONS.
(a) Moratorium on Closure or Consolidation of Field or Hearing
Offices or New Limitations on Access to Such Offices.--
(1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraphs (2) and
(3), the Commissioner of Social Security shall take no action
on or after the date of enactment of this Act to close or
consolidate field or hearing offices or resident stations of
the Social Security Administration or to otherwise impose any
new limitation on access to such offices or stations.
(2) Exception for emergency closures.--Paragraph (1) shall
not apply with respect to any temporary action by the
Commissioner to close or otherwise limit access to field or
hearing offices or resident stations in response to an
emergency.
(3) Cessation of moratorium upon report to congress.--
Paragraph (1) shall cease to be effective on the date that is
180 days after the report described in paragraph (4) is
submitted.
(4) Report required.--Not earlier than January 21, 2029,
the Commissioner shall submit to the Committee on Ways and
Means of the House of Representatives and the Committee on
Finance of the Senate a report outlining and justifying the
process for selecting field or hearing offices or resident
stations to be closed or consolidated or otherwise to have
limited access. Such report shall include--
(A) an analysis of the criteria used for selecting
field or hearing offices and resident stations for
closure, consolidation, or limited access;
(B) 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
(C) 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--
(i) the anticipated savings resulting from
the closure, consolidation, or limitation on
access;
(ii) the anticipated costs associated with
replacing services lost by the closure,
consolidation, or limitation on access;
(iii) the anticipated effects on employees
of the offices or stations affected;
(iv) 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
(v) 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.
(b) Requirements for Future Closures, Consolidations, and New
Limitations on Access.--
(1) In general.--Section 704 of the Social Security Act (42
U.S.C. 904) is amended by adding at the end the following new
subsection:
``(f)(1) Field and Hearing Offices and Resident Stations.--Subject
to paragraph (6), the Commissioner may not close a field or hearing
office or a resident station of the Administration, consolidate two or
more such offices or stations, or otherwise impose any new limitation
on public access to any such office or station, unless the Commissioner
complies with the requirements of paragraphs (2), (3), (4), and (5) in
connection with the closure, consolidation, or limitation on public
access.
``(2)(A) 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--
``(i) 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;
``(ii) the public notice issued pursuant to clause (i)
includes information on--
``(I) 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
``(II) 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
``(iii) not earlier than 30 days after the issuance of
public notice pursuant to clause (i) and not later than 45 days
before the date of the proposed closure, consolidation, or
limitation on access, the Commissioner conducts at least 2
public hearings (scheduled so that the first and last such
hearings are separated by at least 10 days), at which the
Commissioner presents the justifications for the closure,
consolidation, or limitation on access described in
subparagraph (B) and provides for attendees an opportunity to
present their views regarding the proposed closure,
consolidation, or limitation on access.
``(B) The justifications referred to in subparagraph (A)(iii) shall
consist of the following:
``(i) an analysis of the criteria used for selecting the
field or hearing office or offices, or the resident station or
stations, for closure, consolidation, or limited access;
``(ii) 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
``(iii) a description of a method of cost-benefit analysis
which shall be applied by the Commissioner in connection with
the closure, consolidation, or limitation on access, and which
shall take into account--
``(I) the anticipated savings resulting from the
closure, consolidation, or limitation on access;
``(II) the anticipated costs associated with
replacing services lost by the closure, consolidation,
or limitation on access;
``(III) the anticipated effects on employees of the
offices or stations affected; and
``(IV) 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.
``(C) 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).
``(3) 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--
``(A) the justifications described in paragraph (2)(B),
(including any amendments made to such justifications after the
public hearings conducted pursuant to paragraph (2)(A));
``(B) any findings made by the Commissioner pursuant to the
public hearings;
``(C) 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;
``(D) the final decision of the Commissioner regarding the
closure, consolidation, or new limitation on access; and
``(E) such other information as the Commissioner considers
relevant.
``(4)(A) 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.
``(B) A showing described in subparagraph (A) shall consist of a
showing that--
``(i) 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
``(ii) the Commissioner has failed to observe procedures
required by law in connection with the closure, consolidation,
or new limitation on access.
``(5) The requirement of this paragraph is met in connection with a
closure, consolidation, or limitation on access referred to in
paragraph (1) only if such closure, consolidation, or limitation on
access will not result in the total number of field or hearing offices
and resident stations of the Administration falling below the total
number of such offices and stations that were in operation on January
20, 2025.
``(6) Paragraph (1) shall not apply with respect to any temporary
action by the Commissioner to close or otherwise limit access to field
or hearing offices or resident stations in response to an emergency.''.
(2) Effective date.--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.
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