Contact Congress about H.R. 3926: Protecting Our Widows and Widowers in Retirement Act

Some widows, widowers, and surviving divorced spouses could get more Social Security after a spouse dies. The bill would also keep that increase from lowering their SSI support.

Modern Action explains what the legislation does, helps you choose whether to support, oppose, or ask for changes, and drafts a message tied to the bill, your stance, and the elected officials who can act on it.

Protecting Our Widows and Widowers in Retirement Act is a House bill in Congress.

Who this affects: This bill mainly affects widows and widowers from families where both spouses worked and paid into Social Security. Some surviving divorced spouses could also qualify. People who receive both survivor benefits and Supplemental Security Income could gain the most protection because the added Social Security money would not reduce their SSI.

Why this matters: A surviving spouse can lose a large share of the household’s Social Security income when the other spouse dies. This bill could let some survivors keep more of what the couple received together. It would also protect SSI payments for survivors with very low income. The effect on people and federal costs would depend on how many qualify and how much their payments rise.

Key provisions in H.R. 3926

• Some qualifying survivors could get a larger Social Security payment. This covers widows, widowers, and certain surviving divorced spouses who earned enough work credits to qualify on their own record. They would get either the deceased worker’s full standard benefit or 75% of both spouses’ combined benefits, whichever is higher.
• Widows and widowers would use the same type of new formula. The bill adds it separately to the Social Security Act rules for each group.
• The 75% payment would have a limit. It could not exceed the benefit for an example worker who retired at the earliest allowed age in the same month as the deceased worker. The example assumes earnings of 1⅓ times the national average wage in every working year.
• The bill moves and renumbers parts of the Social Security Act to make room for the new formula. It does not change the main rules about who may qualify as a widow or widower.
• A survivor’s added Social Security money would not count against Supplemental Security Income. For SSI income checks and payment amounts, the government must act as if this bill had not raised the Social Security benefit.

How Modern Action helps you take action on H.R. 3926

You do not have to start with a blank letter. Modern Action turns the bill, your position, and the relevant congressional context into a message you can edit and send. The goal is to make contacting Congress clear, specific, and useful without forcing you to parse bill text or figure out the right office on your own.

Questions people ask about H.R. 3926

What is H.R. 3926?

Some widows, widowers, and surviving divorced spouses could get more Social Security after a spouse dies. The bill would also keep that increase from lowering their SSI support.

How do I support or oppose H.R. 3926?

Choose support, oppose, or ask for changes on Modern Action. The action flow drafts the message for you and keeps the wording tied to this bill.

Who should I contact about H.R. 3926?

Modern Action uses your location to route the action to the congressional offices relevant to the bill and your representation.

How does Modern Action help me act on H.R. 3926?

Modern Action gives you bill-specific context, lets you choose support, opposition, or changes, and drafts a message from your position and reasons.