The Social Security Protection Act

In 1978, several amendments set specific precedents to the Social Security Act.

The first Social Security legislation in the United States was passed in 1901 as the National Bureau of Standards Act. Since then the laws have been revised and updated a number of times and include the Military Selective Service Act (1948); the Civil Rights Act of 1964l the Consumer Credit Protection Act (1968); the TANF Emergency Response and Recovery Act of 2005; and the Small Business Jobs Act of 2010. In 1978, a handful of amendments were made to the Social Security Act.

Veterans' and Survivors' Pension Improvement Act

The Veterans' and Survivors' Pension Improvement Act clarifies rules regarding pension funds and distribution for veterans and their families. The amendment established when and how pensions are distributed and associated income requirements and limits. The amendment also established how family members' claims for pension funds are handled if a veteran is disabled or dies.

Indian Child Welfare Act

The Indian Child Welfare Act established how and when the government intervenes in American Indian tribes' child welfare and custody matters. The act establishes that the United States government "has assumed the responsibility for the protection and preservation of Indian tribes and their resources," including the protection of children in those tribes and child custody proceedings. The act was also the springboard for the first child and family service programs on reservations and also includes adoption guidelines.

Financial Institutions Regulatory and Interest Rate Control

The Financial Institutions Regulatory and Interest Rate Control Act established financial confidentiality laws. For the first time, the government said that financial institutions could not release customer records without supported cause, such as a subpoena, summons or search warrant, or authorization from an account holder. The law also established how such records could be used if gathered by a government or law enforcement agency.

Housing and Community Development

The Housing and Community Development Act states that only certain government services provided to public housing residents apply toward income counted for inclusion in the program. Only wages paid as part of the program are counted toward an individual's income for program participation.

References

• U.S. Social Security Administration: A Legislative History of the Social Security Protection Act of 2004
• The Library of Congress; Veterans' and Survivors' Pension Improvement Act Summary and Status; 1978
• The Library of Congress; Indian Child Welfare Act Summary and Status; 1978
• The Library of Congress; Financial Institutions Regulatory and Interest Rate Control Act Summary and Status; 1978
• The Library of Congress; House and Community Development Act Summary and Status; 1978