# 119-hr-227: Clergy Act

119-hr-227, Clergy Act, is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Rep. Fong, Vince [R-CA-20] (R-CA); status became_law; PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-31).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-227
- As of: 2026-10-31
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 119-hr-227
- Congress: 119
- Title: Clergy Act
- Status: became_law
- Introduced: 2025-01-07
- Sponsor: Rep. Fong, Vince [R-CA-20] (R-CA)
- Cosponsors: 21
- Policy area: Social Welfare
- Touches household money: yes
- Last recorded action: 2026-10-31

## Summary

**Creates a one-time and ongoing option for certain clergy to revoke a previous Social Security exemption.** It sets firm deadlines, explains tax payments if a late revocation applies to a prior year, and ties revocation timing to when monthly and lump-sum death benefits start. - Eligible clergy: Ministers, members of religious orders, and Christian Science practitioners can apply to revoke a Social Security exemption. They must file by the federal tax-return due date (including extensions) for their second taxable year beginning after Dec 31, 2028, and may not re-elect the exemption once revoked. - Benefits and families: A granted revocation can be effective for the first or second taxable year after Dec 31, 2028. It counts toward monthly Social Security Title II benefits and lump-sum death payments for months or deaths in or after that effective year. - Tax and administration: If a revocation is filed after the return due date but applies to that year, the individual must pay the Social Security self-employment taxes that would have applied for that year. The IRS must consult with the Social Security Administration and deliver an outreach plan within 90 days of enactment to notify eligible individuals.

## Cosponsors (21)

- Rep. Thompson, Mike [D-CA-4] (D-CA), 2025-01-07T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Kelly, Mike [R-PA-16] (R-PA), 2025-01-07T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Ciscomani, Juan [R-AZ-6] (R-AZ), 2025-01-09T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. LaHood, Darin [R-IL-16] (R-IL), 2025-01-09T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. DelBene, Suzan K. [D-WA-1] (D-WA), 2025-01-09T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Smucker, Lloyd [R-PA-11] (R-PA), 2025-01-31T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Yakym, Rudy [R-IN-2] (R-IN), 2025-06-10T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Estes, Ron [R-KS-4] (R-KS), 2025-07-21T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Smith, Adrian [R-NE-3] (R-NE), 2025-07-21T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Carey, Mike [R-OH-15] (R-OH), 2025-07-22T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Moran, Nathaniel [R-TX-1] (R-TX), 2025-07-23T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Bilirakis, Gus M. [R-FL-12] (R-FL), 2025-07-25T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Tenney, Claudia [R-NY-24] (R-NY), 2025-09-08T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Murphy, Gregory F. [R-NC-3] (R-NC), 2025-09-09T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Panetta, Jimmy [D-CA-19] (D-CA), 2025-09-15T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Van Duyne, Beth [R-TX-24] (R-TX), 2025-09-18T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Letlow, Julia [R-LA-5] (R-LA), 2025-09-18T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Costa, Jim [D-CA-21] (D-CA), 2025-10-21T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Suozzi, Thomas R. [D-NY-3] (D-NY), 2025-11-17T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Davis, Danny K. [D-IL-7] (D-IL), 2025-11-25T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Fitzpatrick, Brian K. [R-PA-1] (R-PA), 2025-12-09T00:00:00.000Z

## Votes

| Date | Chamber | Question | Result | Yea | Nay |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-04-27T00:00:00.000Z | house | On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended | Passed | 350 | 5 |

## Provisions PRIA read

- Clergy can choose Social Security coverage: mixed, high. The law lets eligible clergy permanently end their Social Security tax exemption and gain covered earnings. This option covers ordained, commissioned, or licensed church ministers, religious order members, and Christian Science practitioners. Their exemption must be in effect for the tax year when…

## Related bills

- 119-hr-842: Nancy Gardner Sewell Medicare Multi-Cancer Early Detection Screening Coverage Act
- 119-hr-4382: America’s Olympic and Paralympic Games Commemorative Coins Act
- 119-hr-909: Crime Victims Fund Stabilization Act of 2025
- 119-hr-1502: North Platte Canteen Congressional Gold Medal Act
- 119-hr-452: Miracle on Ice Congressional Gold Medal Act
- 119-hr-9250: Great American Outdoors Act 250

## Sources
- [119-hr-227 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/227)

## Related
- [119-hr-842: Nancy Gardner Sewell Medicare Multi-Cancer Early Detection Screening Coverage A…](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-842)
- [119-hr-4382: America’s Olympic and Paralympic Games Commemorative Coins Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-4382)
- [119-hr-909: Crime Victims Fund Stabilization Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-909)
- [119-hr-1502: North Platte Canteen Congressional Gold Medal Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-1502)
- [119-hr-452: Miracle on Ice Congressional Gold Medal Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-452)
- [119-hr-9250: Great American Outdoors Act 250](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-9250)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-227 (as of 2026-10-31).