CASEY, SCHUMER TO INTRODUCE BILL TO CLOSE LOOPHOLE THAT ALLOWS EXPELLED NAZIS TO COLLECT SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS

Casey & Schumer, Members of Finance Committee, Will Push for Speedy Consideration of Legislation

Casey Schumer Effort Will Be Companion to Congresswoman Maloney Efforts in House

Washington DC- Today, U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and Charles Schumer (D-NY), members of the Senate Finance Committee, announced that they will soon introduce legislation to close a loophole that has allowed Nazis expelled from the U.S. to collect Social Security benefits. A new investigation by the Associated Press revealed that dozens of Nazi war criminals have received Social Security benefits years after being forced out of the U.S. Casey and Schumer pledged to introduce the legislation soon and push for speedy consideration.

“The idea that Nazi war criminals could receive Social Security benefits is deeply disturbing and should be remedied quickly,” Senator Casey said. “In the coming weeks we’ll be introducing legislation to close this loophole. This investigation has revealed a gross injustice and I’m hopeful that Democrats and Republicans will come together to fix this problem in the very near future. I appreciate Congresswoman Maloney's efforts on this. Earlier this week she spearheaded a significant effort in the House and I'm glad to partner with her on this legislation."

“Nazis war criminals have been allowed to collect Social Security for far too long, and that needs to stop now,” Schumer said. “It is simply perverse that these criminals have been able to live comfortably abroad thanks to the American taxpayer. I hope my colleagues on both sides of the aisle will work hard to right this wrong once and for all.”

“I am so pleased that Senators Bob Casey and Chuck Schumer will be leading this effort in the Senate,” said Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney. “I could not ask for better partners. We must work in an expeditious manner to terminate these benefits once and for all. The American taxpayer should not be subsidizing the retirements of those guilty of the worst atrocities in human history.”
 

The bill, now supported by the World Jewish Congress, would deny Federal public benefits to individuals who have been participants in Nazi persecution. If an immigration judge finds that an individual has participated in Nazi persecution, that judge is required to:

(1)   promptly issue an order declaring the respondent to be ineligible for any Federal public benefit and prohibiting any person from providing such a benefit to the respondent; and

(2)   transmit a copy of the order to any governmental entity or person known to be so providing such a benefit and to any governmental entity or person known to have received an application for benefits that has not been finally adjudicated. Authorizes the Attorney General to review any finding or conclusion made, or order issued and to initiate any review within 30 days.

Requires any order, finding, or conclusion to be final:

(1)   30 days after it is issued if the Attorney General does not initiate such a review; or

(2) either upon the issuance of a decision by the Attorney General or 90 days after the order, finding, or conclusion is issued, whichever is earlier, if the Attorney General does initiate a review. Allows any party aggrieved by a final order issued under this Act to obtain judicial review of the order by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit by filing a petition for such review no later than 30 days after the final order becomes final, or completion of any review by the Attorney General, whichever is later.

###