Social Security Independence and Program Improvements Act of 1994

TABLE OF CONTENTS: Title I: Establishment of the Social Security Administration as an Independent Agency Title II: Program Improvements Relating to OASDI and SSI Title III: Miscellaneous Program Improvements Social Security Independence and Program Improvements Act of 1994 - Title I: Establishment of the Social Security Administration as an Independent Agency - Amends title VII (Administration) of the Social Security Act (SSA) to establish an independent Social Security Administration, headed by a Commissioner, to administer the Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance (OASDI) program and the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program under SSA titles II and XVI. (Sec. 102) Establishes: (1) Chief Financial Officer and Inspector General positions; and (2) a Social Security Advisory Board to advise the Commissioner on policies related to such programs. (Sec. 105) Transfers to the Administration all functions of the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) pertaining to such programs. Authorizes appropriations. Title II: Program Improvements Relating to OASDI and SSI - Amends SSA titles II and XVI with respect to the payment of disability benefits to substance abusers. (Sec. 201) Directs the Secretary to: (1) develop and carry out demonstration projects with regard to disabled substance abusers on OASDI or SSI; and (2) appoint a Commission on the Evaluation of Disability in Children to study the effects on children of SSI's definition of disability. (Sec. 203) Amends SSA title XVI with respect to: (1) regulations regarding completion of plans for achieving self-support; (2) SSI eligibility for students temporarily abroad; (3) disregard of cost-of-living (COLA) increases for continued eligibility for work incentives; and (4) exemption from adjustment in pass-along requirements under provisions on operation of State supplementation programs. (Sec. 206) Amends SSA titles II and XVI with regard to the prevention of fraud by translators of foreign languages. Amends SSA title XI to, among other things, provide for civil monetary penalties, assessments, provider exclusions from Medicare participation, and termination of OASDI and SSI benefits for fraudulent benefit claims. Requires the Secretary to report annually to the Congress on reviews of OASDI and SSI cases for fraud. (Sec. 207) Requires disability reviews for SSI recipients who are 18. (Sec. 208) Extends temporarily OASDI continuing disability review provisions to SSI recipients. Title III: Miscellaneous Program Improvements - Amends SSA title II and related provisions of Federal law with respect to: (1) OASDI trust fund administration; (2) OASDI coverage of State election personnel, police officers, firefighters, and Federal employees transferred temporarily to International Organizations; (3) use of social security numbers for jury selection and in the administration of Federal workers' compensation laws; (4) totalization benefits, military reservists, and application of windfall elimination and Government pension offset provisions; (5) facility-of-payment provisions; (6) maximum family benefits in guarantee cases; (7) annual earnings filing; (8) disability insurance program demonstration project authority; and (9) cross-matching of social security number information and employer ID number information maintained by the Department of Agriculture. (Sec. 302) Requires the Comptroller General to study and report to the Congress on telephone access to local offices of the Social Security Administration. (Sec. 306) Provides a limited exemption from certain self-employment tax liability for individuals performing religious services in Canada. (Sec. 311) Amends SSA title XI with regard to: (1) disclosure of mortality information for research purposes; (2) misuse of HHS and Treasury symbols, emblems, or names in reference to social security programs and agencies, and associated penalties; and (3) penalties for unauthorized disclosure of social security information. (Sec. 317) Amends the Railroad Retirement Solvency Act of 1983 concerning certain transfers to the Railroad Retirement Account. (Sec. 320) Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) exclude wages paid to aliens holding Q visas from FICA, FUTA, and railroad retirement taxes; and (2) treat their income, for income tax purposes, in the same manner as income received by aliens holding J visas.

TABLE OF CONTENTS: Title I: Establishment of New Independent Agency Title II: Conforming Amendments and Rules of Construction Title III: Social Security Disability and Rehabilitation Social Security Administration Independence Act of 1994 - Title I: Establishment of New Independent Agency - Amends title VII (Administration) of the Social Security Act (SSA) to establish an independent Social Security Administration, headed by a Commissioner, to administer the Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance (OASDI) program and the Supplemental Security Income program under SSA titles II and XVI. Establishes a Social Security Advisory Board to advise the Commissioner on policies related to such programs. Transfers to the Administration all functions carried out by the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) pertaining to such programs. Authorizes appropriations. Title II: Conforming Amendments - Makes conforming amendments to SSA and other Federal laws. Replaces the Advisory Council on Social Security with an Advisory Council on Hospital and Supplemental Medical Insurance. Sets forth rules of construction. Title III: Social Security Disability and Rehabilitation - Social Security Disability and Rehabilitation Act of 1994 - Amends SSA titles II and XVI to require individuals on drugs or alcohol to: (1) undergo, or be scheduled for, appropriate treatment for substance abuse if it is reasonably available; (2) comply with the terms of such treatment; and (3) have a qualified governmental representative payee in order to receive disability benefits under the social security disability insurance (SSDI) and SSI programs. Sets up a monitoring and testing program under each such title for ensuring such compliance, with benefits terminated or suspended in cases of noncompliance, and with all disability benefits related to substance abuse terminated after three years. Requires the proceeds derived from criminal activities to support substance abuse to be considered substantial gainful activity. Revises penalty provisions, with changes providing for the exclusion of SSDI and SSI program defrauders from such programs and other Federal health and social services programs. Authorizes appropriations. Directs the Secretary to: (1) assure that every individual on drugs or alcohol who is receiving SSDI or SSI disability benefits be given high priority for treatment through entities supported by State substance abuse block grants; and (2) provide for the establishment of referral and monitoring agencies for each State for carrying out treatment requirements under this Act.

TABLE OF CONTENTS: Title I: Establishment of the Social Security Administration as an Independent Agency Title II: Miscellaneous Improvements to the Old-Age Survivors, and Disability Insurance Program Social Security Administrative Reform Act of 1994 - Title I: Establishment of the Social Security Administration as an Independent Agency - Amends title VII (Administration) of the Social Security Act (SSA) to establish as an independent executive agency the Social Security Administration, governed by a Social Security Board, to administer the Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance (OASDI) program and the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program under SSA titles II and XVI. (Sec. 102) Establishes in the Administration an Office of the Beneficiary Ombudsman. (Sec. 104) Transfers to the Board all functions carried out by the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) pertaining to such programs. (Sec. 107) Requires the Board to report to the Congress within 120 days after the beginning of each regular session of its administration under SSA. Requires the Secretary to study and make recommendations on the most effective methods of providing economic security and on the administrative policy for SSA programs administered by the Secretary. Title II: Improvements (sic) to the Old Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance Program - Amends SSA titles II and XVI with respect to the payment of disability benefits to substance abusers. (Sec. 202) Amends SSA titles II and related provisions of Federal law with respect to: (1) OASDI trust fund administration, including the creation of a Continuing Disability Review Account in the Federal Disability Insurance Trust Fund; (2) telephone access to local Social Security Administration offices; (3) OASDI coverage of State election personnel, police officers, and fire fighters; (4) use of social security numbers for jury selection and in administration of Federal workers' compensation laws; (5) totalization benefits, military reservists, and application of windfall elimination and Government pension offset provisions; (6) facility-of-payment provisions; (7) maximum family benefits in guarantee cases; (8) annual earnings filing; (9) disability insurance program demonstration project authority; (10) cross-matching of social security number information and employer ID number information maintained by the Department of Agriculture; (11) retirement eligibility for Federal employees transferred to International Organizations; (12) treatment of certain visas; and (13) rounding when calculating OASDI contribution and benefit base and earnings test exempt amounts. (Sec. 208) Provides a limited exemption from certain self-employment tax liability for individuals performing religious services in Canada. (Sec. 213) Amends SSA title XI with regard to: (1) disclosure of mortality information for research purposes; (2) misuse of HHS and Treasury symbols, emblems, or names in reference to social security programs and agencies, and associated penalties; and (3) penalties for unauthorized disclosure of social security information. (Sec. 219) Amends the Railroad Retirement Solvency Act of 1983 concerning certain transfers to the Railroad Retirement Account. (Sec. 223) Directs the Secretary to appoint a Commission on the Evaluation of Disability in Children to study and report to the Congress on SSI's definition of "disability" and how it applies with respect to children.