Lawmakers Want to End Social Security Benefits for Nazis

Lawmakers in both the House and the Senate have introduced legislation to end Social Security benefits for Nazi persecutors who receive them because of a loophole in current law.

Lawmakers in both the House and the Senate have introduced legislation to end Social Security benefits for Nazi persecutors who receive them because of a loophole in current law.

In the House, Ways and Means Social Security Subcommittee Chairman Sam Johnson (R-TX), Subcommittee Ranking Member Xavier Becerra (D-CA), and 34 additional House members introduced H.R. 5739, the No Social Security for Nazis Act. In the Senate, Finance Committee Ranking Member Orrin Hatch (R-UT) and Senate Finance Committee Chairman Ron Wyden (D-OR) introduced an identical companion bill.

The legislation is being introduced following news reports that some Nazi persecutors, who participated in the systematic murder of millions of innocents, are currently receiving Social Security benefits due to a loophole in the law. By leaving the U.S. voluntarily, instead of being deported, some Nazi war criminals and collaborators were able to keep their Social Security benefits.

Speaking on the legislation, Sam Johnson said, “The World must never forget the six million Jews and other innocents murdered in the Holocaust. America has worked to prevent Nazis from entering the country and reaping the benefits of U.S. citizenship, including Social Security. However, due to a loophole, some Nazis who came to America continue to receive Social Security benefits. That is just plain wrong! This bill would stop these Nazis from continuing to receive Social Security.”

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Ian Smith is one of the co-founders of FedSmith.com. He has over 20 years of combined experience in media and government services, having worked at two government contracting firms and an online news and web development company prior to his current role at FedSmith.