Griffin: Bipartisan Bill Ensures Nazis Do Not Benefit from U.S. Social Security

Press Release

Congressman Tim Griffin (AR-02) issued the following statement after House passage of the No Social Security for Nazis Act (H.R. 5739):

"We must never forget the millions of Jews and the many other innocent victims throughout Europe and the world that suffered under the Nazis. We must hold these war criminals accountable for their horrific actions. I am pleased that I was able to work quickly with my colleagues to introduce legislation that will close this loophole in the law and prevent Nazi war criminals from receiving U.S. Social Security benefits. I urge the Senate to pass this important bill quickly to protect Social Security benefits for hardworking U.S. taxpayers."

Recent press stories have highlighted a loophole in the law that allows some Nazis to continue receiving Social Security benefits. Under the Social Security Act, Social Security benefits are terminated when individuals are deported due to participating in Nazi persecutions. Some individuals whom the Department of Justice identified as Nazi persecutors were denaturalized (stripped of their citizenship), or voluntarily renounced their citizenship, and left the country to avoid formal deportation proceedings. Under current law, these individuals are able to continue receiving Social Security benefits. (The Congressional Budget Office has determined that Social Security is the only U.S. public benefit these denaturalized Nazis living outside the country are able to receive under current law.)

Rep. Griffin is an original cosponsor of H.R. 5739, which stops Social Security benefits to any individual who: 1) has been denaturalized due to participation in Nazi persecutions; or 2) has voluntarily renounced their citizenship as part of a settlement agreement with the Attorney General related to their participation in Nazi persecution. Individuals who are ineligible for benefits under this Act would not be eligible to receive spousal benefits due to marriage to a Social Security beneficiary or Supplemental Security Income benefits. H.R. 5739 requires the Attorney General to certify to Congress that the Social Security Administration has been notified of all those whose benefits should be terminated, and requires the Commissioner of Social Security to certify that benefits were terminated.

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