Protecting Our Widows and Widowers in Retirement Act
Sponsored By: Representative Sánchez, Linda T. [D-CA-38]
Introduced
Summary
This bill would increase and restructure monthly survivor benefits for widows and widowers in two-income households. It would set a new "greater of" test that compares the deceased spouse's primary insurance amount (PIA) with 75 percent of the sum of the surviving spouse's own monthly old-age or disability benefit plus the deceased's PIA, subject to a defined cap and exclusions.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.
Higher survivor benefits for spouses
If enacted, this bill would change how Social Security survivor checks are figured for widows and widowers for months after December 2026. Each month a surviving spouse who is fully insured and who is also entitled to their own old-age or disability benefit would get the larger of two amounts: the deceased spouse's usual Social Security amount (the PIA) or 75% of the sum of the survivor's own monthly benefit plus the deceased spouse's PIA. The 75% option would be limited by a statutory cap tied to a made-up worker who earned 1 1/3 times the national average wage each year. Certain legal exceptions listed in the bill could block the 75% calculation for some survivors.
Freeze Social Security amount for SSI
If enacted, the bill would freeze the Social Security (Title II) amount that counts for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) rules at the pre-enactment level. For SSI eligibility and payment calculations, any Title II benefit would be treated as not exceeding the amount it would have been the day before this law. This would stop higher Title II survivor or retirement checks from automatically reducing SSI payments after the bill takes effect.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Sánchez, Linda T. [D-CA-38]
CA • D
Cosponsors
Rep. Cohen, Steve [D-TN-9]
TN • D
Sponsored 9/2/2026
Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large]
DC • D
Sponsored 9/2/2026
Rep. Schakowsky, Janice D. [D-IL-9]
IL • D
Sponsored 9/2/2026
Rep. Tlaib, Rashida [D-MI-12]
MI • D
Sponsored 9/2/2026
Rep. Thanedar, Shri [D-MI-13]
MI • D
Sponsored 9/2/2026
Rep. Pingree, Chellie [D-ME-1]
ME • D
Sponsored 9/2/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov