(Washington, DC) – Today Congresswomen Annie Kuster (NH-02) and Carol Shea-Porter (NH-01) announced their support for the Strengthening Protections for Social Security Beneficiaries Act of 2017. This bipartisan legislation will strengthen and improve Social Security’s representative payee program, which helps nearly 8 million Social Security recipients manage their benefits. The representative payee program supports Social Security beneficiaries who need assistance, including children and people with conditions that impact their ability to manage their benefits.
“Social Security is a critical safety net for many Granite State seniors as well as individuals living with disabilities,” said Congresswoman Kuster. “The representative payee program plays an important role in ensuring that Social Security benefits are reaching their intended recipients. This bipartisan legislation will improve this program so it better supports Social Security beneficiaries and defends against fraud and abuse.”
“I have been outraged by ongoing reports from across the country of people who have abused their position to steal from vulnerable Social Security beneficiaries,” said Shea-Porter. “The Social Security Administration has a responsibility to protect benefits for those who are vulnerable. This bipartisan legislation creates new safeguards in the representative payee program to protect beneficiaries against fraud.”
“Disability Rights Center – New Hampshire strongly supports H.R. 4547,” said Stephanie Patrick, Executive Director of Disability Rights Center – NH. “The representative payee program is designed to help beneficiaries to manage their benefits if they are unable to do so themselves. In our work with individuals with disabilities, we’ve seen cases where benefits were not managed properly or even stolen by a representative payee, which places the beneficiaries at risk. H.R. 4547 provides important additional protections for these individuals. Thank you to Reps. Kuster and Shea-Porter for co-sponsoring this important legislation.”