Both sides have signed this (Bill Ranking)
S. 269 · 119th Congress (2025-2026)
6 members · Left 1 · Center 2 · Right 3 (Bill Ranking)
| Sponsor | Sen. Kennedy, John (R-LA) (Introduced 01/28/2025) |
|---|---|
| Sponsor Voting Record | Right · 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 |
| Committees | Senate - Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee; Senate - Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee; Senate - Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee |
| Latest Action | 02/10/2026 Became Public Law No: 119-77. |
| Roll Call Votes | There have been no roll call votes |
| Source | view on congress.gov → |
Public Law: Public Law 119-77
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.
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
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
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.
| Date | Chamber | All Actions |
|---|---|---|
| 01/28/2025 | Library of Congress | Introduced in Senate |
| 01/28/2025 | Senate | Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. |
| 07/30/2025 | Senate | Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably. |
| 09/19/2025 | Library of Congress | Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs discharged by Unanimous Consent. |
| 09/19/2025 | Senate | Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs discharged by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S6798) |
| 09/19/2025 | Library of Congress | Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent. |
| 09/19/2025 | Senate | Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent. (text of amendment in the nature of a substitute: CR S6798) |
| 10/08/2025 | Senate | Message on Senate action sent to the House. |
| 10/10/2025 | House floor actions | Received in the House. |
| 10/10/2025 | House floor actions | Held at the desk. |
| 01/12/2026 | House floor actions | Mr. Smith (MO) moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill. |
| 01/12/2026 | House floor actions | Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H634-637) |
| 01/12/2026 | House floor actions | DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on S. 269. |
| 01/12/2026 | Library of Congress | Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H634) |
| 01/12/2026 | House floor actions | On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H634) |
| 01/12/2026 | House floor actions | Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection. |
| 02/03/2026 | Library of Congress | Presented to President. |
| 02/03/2026 | House floor actions | Presented to President. |
| 02/10/2026 | Library of Congress | Signed by President. |
| 02/10/2026 | Library of Congress | Signed by President. |
| 02/10/2026 | Library of Congress | Became Public Law No: 119-77. |
| 02/10/2026 | Library of Congress | Became Public Law No: 119-77. |
| Title Type | Title |
|---|---|
| Short Titles from ENR (Enrolled) bill text | Ending Improper Payments to Deceased People Act |
| Display Title | Ending Improper Payments to Deceased People Act |
| Short Title(s) as Passed Senate | Ending Improper Payments to Deceased People Act |
| Short Title(s) as Introduced | Ending Improper Payments to Deceased People Act |
| Official Title as Introduced | A bill to improve coordination between Federal and State agencies and the Do Not Pay working system. |
| Amendment | Sponsor | Purpose | Latest Action |
|---|---|---|---|
| SAMDT 3912 | Sen. Kennedy, John [R-LA] | In the nature of a substitute. | 09/19/2025 Amendment SA 3912 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent. |
* = Original cosponsor
| Committee | Activity |
|---|---|
| Senate - Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee | 09/19/2025 Discharged From |
| Senate - Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee | 07/30/2025 Markup By |
| Senate - Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee | 01/28/2025 Referred To |
Policy Area: Social Welfare
All data on this page comes from our own database (legislation.congress_* tables), synced daily from the GPO govinfo BILLSTATUS and BILLS collections. Formatted after congress.gov; nothing is generated. Member placement is their DW-NOMINATE score (voteview.com, Lewis et al.) - a measurement of roll-call voting behavior, not our judgement. Buckets: Left below −0.50 · Lean Left to −0.25 · Center to +0.25 · Lean Right to +0.50 · Right above +0.50. The bill's Support meter aggregates the people who signed the bill - sponsor and current cosponsors, each counted once - nothing else.