S269Enacted into Law

Ending Improper Payments to Deceased People Act

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Introduced
In Committee
Passed One Chamber
Passed Both
Signed into Law
119th
Congress
2025-01-28
Introduced
5
Cosponsors
S
ⓘ
Type

Sponsor

John Kennedy
John Kennedy
Republican · LA · Senator
Votes with party: 75.1% (843 recorded votes)

Full profile: /officials/K000393

Source: Congress.gov · FEC

Cosponsors (5)

Members who have signed on to support this bill since introduction. Source: Congress.gov.

Latest Action

The most recent step in the bill's legislative path. Committee Activity below shows referrals and reports; the full action-by-action history including floor proceedings lives at Congress.gov →

Became Public Law No: 119-77.

2026-02-10

Source: Congress.gov

Committee Activity

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Plain-English Summary

Ending Improper Payments to Deceased People Act This act permanently allows the Department of the Treasury to access certain death records maintained by the Social Security Administration (SSA) to help prevent and recover improper payments (e.g., payments to deceased individuals). The act also establishes evidentiary requirements the SSA must meet before identifying an individual as deceased. Current law requires the SSA to share its Death Master File with the Do Not Pay system maintained by Treasury for three years. The act makes this requirement permanent. Treasury must enter into an agreement with the SSA related to Treasury's share of the cost of state death data. The act also prohibits the SSA from recording a death in the master file unless the SSA has clear and convincing evidence that the individual should be presumed deceased. If an individual is incorrectly identified as deceased and provides the SSA with supporting documentation, the SSA may notify certain agencies that have access to the master file, including Treasury and federal or state agencies that provide or disburse federally funded benefits.

Plain-English rewrite of the Congressional Research Service summary published on Congress.gov. Cached and reviewed.

Subjects

Social Welfare
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