Talking to Alaska's Senator Stevens

The other day Alaska's Senator Stevens did a phone call town meeting deal, where he was talking on the phone with people all over the State. I really wanted to ask him about HR 1161, the Family Caregiver Security Act of 2007, but the call had to be ended before they got the chance to get to me.

Ah well, I just need to write him a nice long letter and explain my position to him about that stuff and explain why it is important to help family caregivers. Even if they only helped the ones that are providing direct full-time in-home care, it opens things up for all caregivers to have some kind of voice for their situations.

I think I'll make up a area over at Family Caregiver Info where statements about being a caregiver can be collected together and senators can be sent to see why the bills mean what they do to family caregivers.

H.R. 1161 Social Security Caregiver Credit Act of 2007

I went out and checked Thomas for any news on H.R. 1161 to see if it had any changes. There have been none since this bill was sent into the Subcommittee on Social Security in March. This bill was introduced mid February of this year, and has been introduced in the past by Rep. Lowey and each time it has failed to escape the subcommittees. We need to let congress know we care about this bill. I don't know a lot about how to properly go about that, but I plan to learn. If you would like to help let me know. Thank you.


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H.R.1161
Title: To amend title II of the Social Security Act to credit prospectively individuals serving as caregivers of dependent relatives with deemed wages for up to five years of such service.
Sponsor: Rep Lowey, Nita M. [NY-18] (introduced 2/16/2007) Cosponsors (None)
Latest Major Action: 3/7/2007 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Social Security.

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COMMITTEE(S):

Committee/Subcommittee:		Activity:
House Ways and Means		Referral, In Committee
	Subcommittee on Social Security	Referral

Grandparents Day and the Social Security Caregiver Credit Act of 2007

Went to check up on H.R.1161, the bill that is intended to amend title II of the Social Security Act to credit caregivers of dependent relatives with deemed wages for up to five years of such service.

The bill is caught up in the Subcommittee on Social Security as of March 7th. I can see this bill falling out the same way that H.R. 175: Family Caregiver Security Act of 2005 did. Dead in committee.

We need to poke them people, send them a card and ask them to please support bills like this. If we don't they will never care about it. Maybe a letter writing campaign in November for National Family Caregiver Month? I had meant to suggest one for Mother's Day and Father's Day but forgot about it, my friend suggested looking up when Grandparents day is and everyone send them a card then. Maybe have your kids send in a card on Grandparents day asking congress to please help family caregivers care for grammas and grampas?

"President Jimmy Carter, in 1978, proclaimed that National Grandparents Day would be celebrated every year on the first Sunday after Labor Day. For 2007, Grandparents Day falls on Sept. 9th.." - source: grandparents-day.com


H.R.1161
Title: To amend title II of the Social Security Act to credit prospectively individuals serving as caregivers of dependent relatives with deemed wages for up to five years of such service.
Sponsor: Rep Lowey, Nita M. [NY-18] (introduced 2/16/2007) Cosponsors (None)
Latest Major Action: 3/7/2007 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Social Security.

What is the Social Security Caregiver Credit Act of 2007 you ask?

It is a bill that is currently in the House Committee on Ways and Means. The bill seeks to amend title II of the Social Security Act so that it would allow for the act to credit prospectively individuals serving as caregivers of dependent relatives with deemed wages for up to five years of such service.

That means that a person could get social security points as if they worked, even though they are not getting paid anything for the work they do.

It's a small step, but a step I think is important for the eventual retirement of so many caregivers.

Raising awareness for H.R. 1161: Social Security Caregiver Credit Act of 2007

I want to start making up some ads that can be put on my sites for raising awareness on family caregivers and hopefully get some attention drawn to H.R. 1161, the Social Security Caregiver Credit Act of 2007, before that bill drops out of sight the way H.R. 175, the Family Caregiver Security Act of 2005, did.

Social Security Caregiver Credit Act of 2007

I went over to the Thomas search engine to check up on H.R. 1161, this is Social Security Caregiver Credit Act of 2007, which is seeking to amend title II of the Social Security Act to credit prospectively individuals serving as caregivers of dependent relatives with deemed wages for up to five years of such service. The Social Security Caregiver Credit Act of 2007 is still caught up inside the Committee on Ways and Means, where it has lain since February 16, 2007.

I fear for this poor bill as that is where H.R. 175, the Family Caregiver Security Act of 2005, found its demise.

Social Security Caregiver Credit Act of 2007 ( H. R. 1161)

Well, H.R. 1161 is still trapped in the House Committee on Ways and Means and has no co-sponsors. This is frustrating, the government is highly grateful to have us family caregivers, but they have no reason to pay any attention to what we give up to provide the care we provide. We're not recognized as being true care providers to them and have none of the rights that care providers have - not even the right to have social security.

H.R.1161 - Social Security Caregiver Credit Act of 2007
Title: To amend title II of the Social Security Act to credit prospectively individuals serving as caregivers of dependent relatives with deemed wages for up to five years of such service.
Sponsor: Rep Lowey, Nita M. [NY-18] (introduced 2/16/2007) Cosponsors (None)
Latest Major Action: 2/16/2007 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

H.R. 1161: Social Security Caregiver Credit Act of 2007

I would like to encourage anyone that wants to help family caregivers to please write to your representatives and ask them to please sponsor bills such as H.R. 1161: Social Security Caregiver Credit Act of 2007. The Social Security Caregiver Credit Act of 2007 would amend title II of the Social Security Act to credit prospectively individuals serving as caregivers of dependent relatives with deemed wages for up to five years of such service.

Please, ask your representative to support and co-sponsor this bill. Others that would be good to write to with requests to co-sponsor the bill are the members of congress that had co-sponsored H.R. 175: Family Caregiver Security Act of 2005 - those are:

Rep. Donald Payne [D-NJ]
Rep. Dutch Ruppersberger [D-MD]
Del. Madeleine Bordallo [D-GU]

H.R. 1161 Social Security Caregiver Credit Act of 2007

As family caregivers, one of the biggest sacrifices made is our own future. Without the ability to work it is difficult to provided for our own needs in the future.

This bill, that is currently before the House Committee on Ways and Means, was sponsored by Rep. Nita M. Lowey, of New York's 18th district and would "amend title II of the Social Security Act to credit prospectively individuals serving as caregivers of dependent relatives with deemed wages for up to five years of such service."

While H.R. 1161 only covers 5 years of provided care, and most caregivers must provide care for a significantly longer period of time, I still think that it is a good sign.

H.R. 175, The family Caregiver Security Act of 2005, slipped off the books in the House of Ways and Means, please, don't let H.R. 1161 fall between the cracks as well. Write to your congressman and ask them to please cosponsor H.R. 1161.

Thank you!

Edit: you can find out up to date information on this bill at GovTrack.US