The Subcommittee on Tax Policy, Health, Social Security, and Oversight scheduled the markup of several bills June 21 including the Tribal Social Security Fairness Act of 2018. When legislators “markup” a bill it is a process of session debates, amendments and rewrites of proposed legislation. The origination of the bill amended Social Security Title II (Old Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance) of the Social Security Act to direct the Social Security Administration, at the request of an Indian tribe, to enter into an agreement with the tribe for the purpose of extending Social Security coverage to tribal council members. Below is the purpose of this agreement.
VOLUNTARY AGREEMENTS FOR COVERAGE OF INDIAN 8 TRIBAL COUNCIL MEMBERS 9 ‘‘Purpose of Agreement 10 ‘‘SEC. 218A. (a)(1)
The Commissioner of Social Security shall, at the request of any Indian tribe, enter into 12 an agreement with such Indian tribe for the purpose of 13 extending the insurance system established by this title to 14 services performed by individuals as members of such Indian tribe’s tribal council. Any agreement with an Indian 16 tribe under this section applies to all members of the tribal 17 council, and shall include all services performed by individuals in their capacity as council members. 19 ‘‘(2) Notwithstanding section 210(a), for the purposes of this title, the term ‘employment’ includes any 21 service included under an agreement entered into under 22 this section.
This is a continued effort ever since an executive order was signed by President Bill Clinton in November of 2000. The original initiatives of this order and Social Security were to:
- Improve service delivery by responding to policy and legislative proposals;
- Maintain and expand ongoing communication;
- Outreach to the tribal community military service members, veterans, and families; and
- Continuing outreach and tribal consultation efforts.
