ADVERTISEMENT

House Passes Bill to End Social Security Benefits for Nazis

AP
December 5, 2014

The House on Tuesday passed a bill that would end Social Security Benefits for Nazis, which a loophole in the current law allowed.

Senate and House leaders introduced the bill last month, and it gained bipartisan support.

The bill is expected to pass the Senate and reach the president’s desk before the end of the year.

"It’s outrageous that Nazi war criminals and anyone who participated in Nazi persecution atrocities continue to collect Social Security benefits while living abroad. As everyone agrees: this must stop," said Sen. Orrin Hatch (R., Utah). "This bipartisan bill directly amends the Social Security Act to end benefits for war criminals who persecuted millions of innocents.  With similar legislative action under way in the House, I’m immensely hopeful that this bill quickly passes in the Senate."

"This bill ends a practice that was never envisioned or intended and which no one can support," Sen. Ron Wyden (D., Ore.) said. "Simply put, passing this bill will rightly shut the door on Nazi war criminals living outside the United States who’ve been exploiting a loophole allowing them to collect Social Security benefits. I look forward to seeing it become law as soon as possible. Social Security is a cornerstone of our national’s social insurance system and we must be diligent in ensuring that it reflects our values."