# 119-hr-10243: Protecting Elders From Government Error Act

119-hr-10243, Protecting Elders From Government Error Act, is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Rep. Higgins, Clay [R-LA-3] (R-LA); status introduced; PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-09-06).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-10243
- As of: 2026-09-06
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 119-hr-10243
- Congress: 119
- Title: Protecting Elders From Government Error Act
- Status: introduced
- Introduced: 2026-09-03
- Sponsor: Rep. Higgins, Clay [R-LA-3] (R-LA)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Policy area: Social Welfare
- Touches household money: yes
- Last recorded action: 2026-09-06

## Summary

**Protects older Social Security beneficiaries from agency takebacks when the government caused the mistake.** It creates a six-month limit on recouping certain Title II old-age benefit overpayments, caps monthly withholding at 5 percent, and preserves a fraud exception so known fraudsters remain fully recoverable. - Seniors and beneficiaries: Reduces surprise financial hits for older adults whose overpayments were caused by Social Security Administration error. The protections apply to Title II overpayments outstanding on or after enactment and use a 6-month look-back. - Monthly income security: Limits how much can be taken from a beneficiary's monthly check for these error-related overpayments to no more than 5 percent of the benefit each month. - Fraud exception: People the Commissioner determines ever committed fraud or similar fault are not covered by these limits and can be pursued without the 6-month rule or the 5 percent cap.

## Provisions PRIA read

- Protects seniors from SSA overpayments: mixed, high. If enacted, this bill would limit how the Social Security Commissioner can recover Title II retirement (old-age) overpayments. If the overpayment was caused by an error by the Commissioner and it relates to a section 202(a) old-age benefit, recovery would be barred when the overpayment occurred mor…

## Related bills

- 119-hr-3151: SHIPS for America Act of 2025
- 119-hr-5484: National Flood Insurance Program Reauthorization and Reform Act of 2025
- 119-hr-8324: Great American Healthcare Plan
- 119-hr-9200: Secure the Border Act of 2026
- 119-hr-9199: Permanent Trump Secure Border Act
- 119-hr-8206: Homeland Security and Further Additional Continuing Appropriations Act, 2026

## Sources
- [119-hr-10243 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/10243)

## Related
- [119-hr-3151: SHIPS for America Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-3151)
- [119-hr-5484: National Flood Insurance Program Reauthorization and Reform Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-5484)
- [119-hr-8324: Great American Healthcare Plan](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-8324)
- [119-hr-9200: Secure the Border Act of 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-9200)
- [119-hr-9199: Permanent Trump Secure Border Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-9199)
- [119-hr-8206: Homeland Security and Further Additional Continuing Appropriations Act, 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-8206)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-10243 (as of 2026-09-06).