Congressional Legislation · bill 119s269 · built from our database

Both sides have signed this (Bill Ranking)

Ending Improper Payments to Deceased People Act

S. 269 · 119th Congress (2025-2026)

S. 269119TH CONGRESSINTRODUCED 01/28/2025SEN. KENNEDYR-LA · SPONSORLeft: no (Sponsor Ranking)Lean left: no (Sponsor Ranking)Center: no (Sponsor Ranking)Lean right: no (Sponsor Ranking)Right: DW-NOMINATE +0.56 (Sponsor Ranking)RIGHT(SPONSOR RANKING)SOCIAL WELFARE

6 members · Left 1 · Center 2 · Right 3 (Bill Ranking)

SponsorSen. Kennedy, John (R-LA) (Introduced 01/28/2025)
Sponsor Voting RecordRight · DW-NOMINATE +0.56 · measured from every roll-call vote this member has cast (voteview.com) (Sponsor Ranking)
Support
LLLCLRR

support across the spectrum: 6 members signed on (Bill Ranking) this bill: sponsor + current cosponsors, each once

CommitteesSenate - Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee; Senate - Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee; Senate - Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee
Latest Action02/10/2026 Became Public Law No: 119-77.
Roll Call VotesThere have been no roll call votes
Sourceview on congress.gov →

Public Law: Public Law 119-77

IntroducedPassed HousePassed SenateResolving DifferencesTo PresidentBecame Law

Summary (2)

Public Law (02/10/2026)

Ending Improper Payments to Deceased People Act

This act permanently allows the Department of the Treasury to access certain death records maintained by the Social Security Administration (SSA) to help prevent and recover improper payments (e.g., payments to deceased individuals). The act also establishes evidentiary requirements the SSA must meet before identifying an individual as deceased.

Current law requires the SSA to share its Death Master File with the Do Not Pay system maintained by Treasury for three years. The act makes this requirement permanent. Treasury must enter into an agreement with the SSA related to Treasury's share of the cost of state death data.

The act also prohibits the SSA from recording a death in the master file unless the SSA has clear and convincing evidence that the individual should be presumed deceased. If an individual is incorrectly identified as deceased and provides the SSA with supporting documentation, the SSA may notify certain agencies that have access to the master file, including Treasury and federal or state agencies that provide or disburse federally funded benefits.

Text (3)

Enrolled Bill (ENR)

S269 ENR: Ending Improper Payments to Deceased People Act U.S. Senate text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain. One Hundred Nineteenth Congress of the United States of America 2d Session Begun and held at the City of Washington on Saturday, the third day of January, two thousand and twenty six S. 269

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES AN ACT To improve coordination between Federal and State agencies and the Do Not Pay working system. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Ending Improper Payments to Deceased People Act. 2. Improving coordination between Federal and State agencies and the Do Not Pay working system (a) In general Section 205(r) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 405(r)), as amended by section 801(a)(7) of title VIII of division FF of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (Public Law 116–260), is amended by striking paragraph (11) and inserting the following: (11) The Commissioner of Social Security shall, to the extent feasible, provide information furnished to the Commissioner under paragraph (1) to the agency operating the Do Not Pay working system described in section 3354(c) of title 31, United States Code, for the authorized uses of the Do Not Pay working system to help prevent improper payments of, and support the recovery of improperly paid, benefits or other payments through a cooperative arrangement with such agency, provided that the requirements of subparagraphs (A) and (B) of paragraph (3) are met with respect to such arrangement with such agency. The Commissioner of Social Security and the agency operating the Do Not Pay working system shall, while the data described in the preceding sentence is being provided to the agency operating the Do Not Pay working system, enter into an agreement based upon an agreed upon methodology, which covers the proportional share of State death data costs, which the Commissioner of Social Security and the agency operating the Do Not Pay working system may periodically review. (12) The Commissioner of Social Security may not record a death to a record that may be provided under this section for any individual unless the Commissioner of Social Security has found it has clear and convincing evidence to support that the individual should be presumed to be deceased. . (b) Improving coordination regarding individuals incorrectly identified as deceased Section 205(r)(7) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 405(r)(7)), as added by section 801(a)(4) of title VIII of division FF of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (Public Law 116–260), is amended by striking and at the end of subparagraph (A), by striking the period at the end of subparagraph (B) and inserting ; and, and by adding at the end the following new subparagraph: (C) notify any agency that has a cooperative arrangement with the Commissioner of Social Security under paragraph (3) or (11) of the error. . (c) Effective date The amendments made by this section shall take effect on December 27, 2026. Speaker of the House of Representatives Vice President of the United States and President of the Senate

Engrossed in Senate (ES)

116 S269 ES: Ending Improper Payments to Deceased People Act U.S. Senate text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain. 119th CONGRESS1st SessionS. 269IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATESAN ACTTo improve coordination between Federal and State agencies and the Do Not Pay working system.1.Short titleThis Act may be cited as the Ending Improper Payments to Deceased People Act.2.Improving coordination between Federal and State agencies and the Do Not Pay working system(a)In generalSection 205(r) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 405(r)), as amended by section 801(a)(7) of title VIII of division FF of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (Public Law 116–260), is amended by striking paragraph (11) and inserting the following: (11)The Commissioner of Social Security shall, to the extent feasible, provide information furnished to the Commissioner under paragraph (1) to the agency operating the Do Not Pay working system described in section 3354(c) of title 31, United States Code, for the authorized uses of the Do Not Pay working system to help prevent improper payments of, and support the recovery of improperly paid, benefits or other payments through a cooperative arrangement with such agency, provided that the requirements of subparagraphs (A) and (B) of paragraph (3) are met with respect to such arrangement with such agency. The Commissioner of Social Security and the agency operating the Do Not Pay working system shall, while the data described in the preceding sentence is being provided to the agency operating the Do Not Pay working system, enter into an agreement based upon an agreed upon methodology, which covers the proportional share of State death data costs, which the Commissioner of Social Security and the agency operating the Do Not Pay working system may periodically review.(12)The Commissioner of Social Security may not record a death to a record that may be provided under this section for any individual unless the Commissioner of Social Security has found it has clear and convincing evidence to support that the individual should be presumed to be deceased..(b)Improving coordination regarding individuals incorrectly identified as deceasedSection 205(r)(7) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 405(r)(7)), as added by section 801(a)(4) of title VIII of division FF of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (Public Law 116–260), is amended by striking and at the end of subparagraph (A), by striking the period at the end of subparagraph (B) and inserting ; and, and by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:(C)notify any agency that has a cooperative arrangement with the Commissioner of Social Security under paragraph (3) or (11) of the error..(c)Effective dateThe amendments made by this section shall take effect on December 27, 2026.Passed the Senate September 19 (legislative day, September 16), 2025.Secretary

Introduced in Senate (IS)

116 S269 IS: Ending Improper Payments to Deceased People Act U.S. Senate 2025-01-28 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain. II119th CONGRESS1st SessionS. 269IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATESJanuary 28, 2025Mr. Kennedy (for himself and Mr. Peters) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental AffairsA BILLTo improve coordination between Federal and State agencies and the Do Not Pay working system.1.Short titleThis Act may be cited as the Ending Improper Payments to Deceased People Act.2.Improving coordination between Federal and State agencies and the Do Not Pay working system(a)In generalSection 801(a) of title VIII of division FF of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (Public Law 116–260) is amended by striking paragraph (7) and inserting the following: (7)by adding at the end the following paragraph:(11) The Commissioner of Social Security shall, to the extent feasible, provide information furnished to the Commissioner under paragraph (1) to the agency operating the Do Not Pay working system described in section 3354(c) of title 31, United States Code, for the authorized uses of the Do Not Pay working system through a cooperative arrangement with such agency, provided that the requirements of subparagraphs (A) and (B) of paragraph (3) are met with respect to such arrangement with such agency...(b)Conforming amendmentSection 801(b)(2) of title VIII of division FF of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (Public Law 116–260) is amended by striking on the date that is 3 years after the date of enactment of this Act and inserting on December 28, 2026.(c)Effective dateThe amendments made by this section shall take effect on December 28, 2026.

The bill's own words, from our database (synced from the GPO BILLS XML); paragraph breaks added at the bill's section boundaries, nothing else changed.

All Actions (22)

DateChamberAll Actions
01/28/2025Library of CongressIntroduced in Senate
01/28/2025SenateRead twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
07/30/2025SenateCommittee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.
09/19/2025Library of CongressSenate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs discharged by Unanimous Consent.
09/19/2025SenateSenate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs discharged by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S6798)
09/19/2025Library of CongressPassed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.
09/19/2025SenatePassed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent. (text of amendment in the nature of a substitute: CR S6798)
10/08/2025SenateMessage on Senate action sent to the House.
10/10/2025House floor actionsReceived in the House.
10/10/2025House floor actionsHeld at the desk.
01/12/2026House floor actionsMr. Smith (MO) moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
01/12/2026House floor actionsConsidered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H634-637)
01/12/2026House floor actionsDEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on S. 269.
01/12/2026Library of CongressPassed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H634)
01/12/2026House floor actionsOn motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H634)
01/12/2026House floor actionsMotion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
02/03/2026Library of CongressPresented to President.
02/03/2026House floor actionsPresented to President.
02/10/2026Library of CongressSigned by President.
02/10/2026Library of CongressSigned by President.
02/10/2026Library of CongressBecame Public Law No: 119-77.
02/10/2026Library of CongressBecame Public Law No: 119-77.

Titles (5)

Title TypeTitle
Short Titles from ENR (Enrolled) bill textEnding Improper Payments to Deceased People Act
Display TitleEnding Improper Payments to Deceased People Act
Short Title(s) as Passed SenateEnding Improper Payments to Deceased People Act
Short Title(s) as IntroducedEnding Improper Payments to Deceased People Act
Official Title as IntroducedA bill to improve coordination between Federal and State agencies and the Do Not Pay working system.

Amendments (1)

AmendmentSponsorPurposeLatest Action
SAMDT 3912Sen. Kennedy, John [R-LA]In the nature of a substitute.09/19/2025 Amendment SA 3912 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.

Cosponsors (5)

* = Original cosponsor

Committees (3)

CommitteeActivity
Senate - Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee09/19/2025 Discharged From
Senate - Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee07/30/2025 Markup By
Senate - Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee01/28/2025 Referred To

Related Bills (1)

Subjects (3)

Policy Area: Social Welfare

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