H.R. 4734 — Hands Off Our Social Security Act

This section states the purpose of the Act to ensure the continued effective operation of the Social Security Administration and to protect Social Security services for all Americans by prohibiting tampering with benefits, unauthorized data mining, privatization efforts, workforce reductions, office closures, and communication changes that hinder access to Social Security benefits.

This section prohibits federal officers, special government employees, and contractors from altering, withholding, or delaying Social Security benefits except as authorized by law and requires any modification of such benefits to be enacted through an Act of Congress.

This section prohibits federal officers, special government employees, and contractors from collecting, sharing, or using Social Security data or personally identifiable information of beneficiaries or applicants except to administer Social Security programs consistent with existing privacy laws. It further prohibits data mining or use of such data for commercial, political, or unauthorized purposes and subjects violations to investigation and penalties under applicable federal privacy and data protection laws.

This section prohibits privatizing, outsourcing, or otherwise transferring Social Security benefits administration or services to private entities without express approval by an Act of Congress. It also requires the Social Security Administration to remain a federal agency responsible for administering and delivering Social Security benefits.

This section prohibits any officer or special government employee of the federal government from implementing or authorizing a reduction in the Social Security Administration (SSA) workforce without approval by an Act of Congress. The section also requires a detailed report to Congress for any SSA staffing level reduction, including its anticipated impact on service delivery and plans to maintain adequate service levels.

This section prohibits the closure or consolidation of any Social Security Administration (SSA) office or field office unless expressly authorized by an Act of Congress and requires SSA to maintain a minimum number of fully operational field offices in each state proportional to the population served.

This section requires the Social Security Administration to maintain its existing telephone and in-person communication services as essential channels for beneficiary assistance and ensures their effectiveness. It specifies that any changes to communication methods, including social media platforms such as Twitter, must be supplementary and not replace existing channels and prohibits terminating or diminishing any essential services without prior approval by an Act of Congress.

This section directs the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to conduct annual audits of Social Security Administration (SSA) workforce levels, office operations, and communication services to ensure compliance with this Act and requires the Comptroller General to report findings—including any noncompliance and recommendations for corrective action—to Congress.

This section establishes a severability clause, providing that if any provision of the Act, or its application to any person or circumstance, is held invalid, the remainder of the Act and the application of such provision to other persons or circumstances remains unaffected.