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Bordallo bill seeks to extend Social Security to GovGuam employees
WASHINGTON, D.C.—Delegate Madeleine Z. Bordallo introduced Thursday last week a bill that would amend the Social Security Act to extend eligibility for Social Security and Medicare coverage to employees of the Government of Guam.
Under current federal statute, the governments of Guam, American Samoa, and the District of Columbia are prevented from entering into an agreement with the Social Security Administration to cover their employees in Social Security and Medicare. Bordallo’s bill would remove this exclusion for Guam and American Samoa.
If enacted, the governments of Guam and American Samoa would be permitted to enter into voluntary agreements with the Social Security Administration to extend Social Security and Medicare coverage to local government employees. The bill amends Section 218 of the Social Security Act. Covered employees, and the Government of Guam, would be required to contribute to the Social Security and Medicare trust funds through employment taxes in order to receive benefits.
Bordallo introduced this bill at the request of the Guam Legislature. On June 16, 2014, the Legislature unanimously passed Resolution 379-32 (LS), introduced by Sen. Mike San Nicolas and Speaker Judi Won Pat, requesting for Bordallo to introduce legislation to remove the prohibition on GovGuam from entering into a voluntary agreement with the Social Security Administration.
“This bill allows for the governments of Guam and American Samoa to enter into voluntary agreements for Social Security and Medicare coverage for their local government employees,” said Bordallo. “This bill provides parity to Guam and American Samoa with each of the 50 states and other territories, and would enable covered GovGuam employees to receive Social Security benefits similar to what is provided to private sector employees who contribute to Social Security. While it will be up to local policymakers to define the terms of this agreement and which employees will be covered, I believe it is important to also extend this authority to Guam.” (PR)
