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.