S. 4180: Protecting Benefits for Retirees Act

116th Congress · introduced 2020-07-02 · Social Welfare · Latest: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2020-07-02 · official record
Who proposed it: Sen. Kaine, Tim [D-VA] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Protecting Benefits for Retirees Act

Plain summary

Protecting Benefits for Retirees Act This bill specifies that the national average wage index used in calculations related to Old Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance (OASDI) benefit programs must be at least as high as the wage index used in the previous year. Specifically, for any year in which the average wage index declines, the calculations must use the index that applied during the previous year. Under current law, the wage index adjusts the value of an individual's actual earnings to account for changes in average wages over time across a range of OASDI programs, such as when determining benefit amounts for retired workers and certain income thresholds that apply to recipients of Social Security Disability Insurance benefits. Using an average wage index that is lower than in previous years reduces the benefit amounts and relevant income thresholds. For example, under current law, if the average wage index in 2020 is lower than it was in 2019, an individual who turns 60 (the age at which past earnings are indexed) in 2020 would receive reduced retirement benefits compared to a similar individual who turned 60 in 2019.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

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What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Protecting Benefits for Retirees Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Kaine, Tim [D-VA] · 1 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Bill Cassidy (R-LA)

Sponsor's campaign money: Sen. Kaine, Tim [D-VA] reported raising $903,436 (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (2)

Bill: A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).
Securities: Financial investments that can be bought and sold, such as stocks and bonds.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-116s4180.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/116/s>

Record fed-us-cong116-s4180 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong116 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong116