AMENDMENTS TO SOCIAL SECURITY ACT MONDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 1946 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, The committee met at 10 a. m. the Honorable Robert L. Doughton (chairman) presiding. The CHAIRMAN. The committee will please be in order. For some time our committee has recognized the importance of considering amendments to the present Social Security Act. Last March House Resolution 204 was passed, authorizing this committee to appoint a staff to make a study of the subject. As you know, there have been many bills introduced on the subject, some by members of this committee, others by other members of the House, and we realize the responsibility resting on the committee as a result of that. The committee staff was headed by Lieutenant Commander Calhoun, and was delegated to select a competent staff of actuaries and others to make a thorough study of this subject and submit a report for the benefit of Congress, and in order that we might discharge our responsibility in the matter. We received some time ago the report of Commander Calhoun and his staff and thanks are due the commander and the members of his staff therefor. The meeting this morning is for the purpose of commencing hearings on the subject of changes in the Social Security Act, and we have with us Dr. Altmeyer, Chairman of the Social Security Board, who is perhaps as familiar with the subject matter as any man living. Anything he has to say with regard to changes in the act must of necessity be of interest to the members of the committee. Mr. COOPER. Mr. Chairman, I think it would be quite appropriate to have the clerk of the committee read at this time the notice of the hearing, so that everybody may understand the outline given in that notice; and a copy of it, I think, should be included in the record at this point, so that everybody will be informed. The CHAIRMAN. The Chair would think that very important, because the committee decided how we would proceed, and in order that the public may understand that, without objection the clerk will read the notice of hearing. (Whereupon the clerk of the committee read the notice of hearing, as follows:) Chairman Doughton of the Committee on Ways and Means announces that public hearings will begin Monday morning, February 25, 1946, at 10 o'clock, on the subject Social Security. The initial hearings will be on the old-age and survivors insurance provisions of the Social Security Act (title II). It is expected that the hearings will extend progressively to other phases of the Social C ト |