U.S. – Australia Relations
U.S.-Australian Social Security Pact Protects Benefits
Washington, D.C. — 13 March 2002
Bush sent agreement to House of Representatives March 12
President Bush sent to the House of Representatives March 12 an agreement between the United States and Australia on how the two governments will handle workers' contributions to retirement systems in the two countries.
The agreement, Bush wrote to the legislators, seeks to "eliminate dual social security coverage and taxation, and to help prevent the lost benefit protection that can occur when workers divide their careers between two countries."
Representatives from the two long-time allies signed the "Agreement Between the Government of the United States and Government of Australia on Social Security" -- as the document is officially titled -- in Canberra on September 27 of last year.
The agreement consists of two separate instruments, a principal agreement and an administrative arrangement.
The United States has similar agreements with other countries, such as France, Korea, and the United Kingdom.
The House referred the President's message to the House Ways and Means Committee.
Following is the text of President Bush's March 12 message to the House of Representatives:
(begin text)
AGREEMENT BETWEEN UNITED STATES AND AUSTRALIA ON SOCIAL SECURITY MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES
H. DOC. NO. 107-186
House of Representatives
March 12, 2002
The SPEAKER pro tempore laid before the House the following message from the President of the United States; which was read and, together with the accompanying papers, without objection, referred to the Committee on Ways and Means and ordered to be printed: To the Congress of the United States:
Pursuant to section 233(e)(1) of the Social Security Act, as amended by the Social Security Amendments of 1977 (Public Law 95-216, 42 U.S.C. 433(e)(1)), I transmit herewith the Agreement Between the Government of the United States of America and the Government of Australia on Social Security, which consists of two separate instruments: a principal agreement and an administrative arrangement along with a paragraph-by-paragraph explanation of each provision. The Agreement was signed at Canberra on September 27, 2001.
The United States-Australia Agreement is similar in objective to the social security agreements already in force with Austria, Belgium, Canada, Chile, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Korea, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. Such bilateral agreements provide for limited coordination between the United States and foreign social security systems to eliminate dual social security coverage and taxation, and to help prevent the lost benefit protection that can occur when workers divide their careers between two countries. The United States-Australia Agreement contains all provisions mandated by section 233 and other provisions that I deem appropriate to carry out the purposes of section 233, pursuant to section 233(c)(4).
I also transmit for the information of the Congress a report prepared by the Social Security Administration explaining the key points of the Agreement. Annexed to this report is the report required by section 233(e)(1) of the Social Security Act, a report on the effect of the Agreement on income and expenditures of the U.S. Social Security program and the number of individuals affected by the Agreement. The Department of State and the Social Security Administration have recommended the Agreement and related documents to me.
I commend the United States-Australia Social Security Agreement and related documents.
George W. Bush.
The White House, March 12, 2002.
(end text)
(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
Original document from Washington Hyperfile [EPF309].
Last update: Monday, 19 November 2007 GMT+1000
