Amend Social Security to improve benefits for widows and widowers in two-income households.

Chellie Pingree · Maine · Democratic

policy impact 0.60 specificity 0.85 extraction confidence 82%

Commitment kind: action. Promised action: Amend title II of the Social Security Act to improve Social Security benefits for widows and widowers in two-income households.. Promised outcome: Improved Social Security benefits for widows and widowers in two-income households.. Deadline: unknown; not assumed expired. As a U.S. Representative from Maine's 1st District in the 119th Congress, Pingree cosponsored H.R. 10235, the Protecting Our Widows and Widowers in Retirement Act.

Occurrences

Full Title To amend title II of the Social Security Act to improve social security benefits for widows and widowers in two-income households. Sponsors Linda T. Sanchez(CA) Cosponsors Rashida Tlaib (MI); Shri Thanedar (MI); Chellie Pingree (ME); Steve Cohen (TN); Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC); Janice D. Schakowsky (IL)

Pingree cosponsored H.R. 10235, a bill to amend Social Security to improve benefits for widows and widowers in two-income households.

H.R. 10235 (IH) - Protecting Our Widows and Widowers in Retirement Act - BILLS-119hr10235ih | Content Details | GovInfo
primary · other · model gpt-5.5

Evidence

unverified · Source version 55102 · locator unknown

Action Ms. Sánchez (for herself, Ms. Tlaib, Mr. Thanedar, Ms. Pingree, Mr. Cohen, Ms. Norton, and Ms. Schakowsky) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means Bill Number H.R. 10235

Unverified model/legacy excerpt; not proof. AI summary (separate from source): Within the 2026-08-18 to 2026-09-16 lookback window, Pingree was listed as an original cosponsor of a new House bill, but the official action was only introduction and referral to Ways and Means.

unresolved later_term A for effort

H.R. 10235 (IH) - Protecting Our Widows and Widowers in Retirement Act - BILLS-119hr10235ih | Content Details | GovInfo
primary · model gpt-5.5 · confidence 97%

unverified · Source version 55111 · locator unknown

To amend title II of the Social Security Act to improve social security benefits for widows and widowers in two-income households.

Unverified model/legacy excerpt; not proof. AI summary (separate from source): The latest bill text directly matches the commitment’s substance: amending Social Security to improve widow and widower benefits in two-income households.

unresolved later_term A for effort

Text of H.R. 10235, 119th Congress, Introduced in House
secondary · model gpt-5.5 · confidence 98%

unverified · Source version 55111 · locator unknown

such widow's insurance benefit for each month shall be equal to the greater of-- ``(i) the primary insurance amount

Unverified model/legacy excerpt; not proof. AI summary (separate from source): The introduced bill would change the benefit formula, but the text is introduced legislation, not enacted law.

unresolved later_term A for effort

Text of H.R. 10235, 119th Congress, Introduced in House
secondary · model gpt-5.5 · confidence 95%

unverified · Source version 55113 · locator unknown

Action Ms. Sánchez (for herself, Ms. Schakowsky, Ms. Norton, Ms. Pingree, Mr. Lynch, and Mr. Cohen) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Education and Workforce

Unverified model/legacy excerpt; not proof. AI summary (separate from source): Earlier in the same Congress, Pingree was also an original cosponsor of a broader Social Security bill referred to committees, showing effort but no enactment.

unresolved later_term A for effort

H.R. 9296 (IH) - Strengthening Social Security Act of 2026 - BILLS-119hr9296ih | Related Documents | GovInfo
secondary · model gpt-5.5 · confidence 94%

unverified · Source version 55115 · locator unknown

SEC. 6. IMPROVING SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS FOR WIDOWS AND WIDOWERS IN TWO-INCOME HOUSEHOLDS.

Unverified model/legacy excerpt; not proof. AI summary (separate from source): H.R. 9296 contained the same relevant Social Security survivor-benefit provision, but it remained introduced/referred legislation.

unresolved later_term A for effort

Text of H.R. 9296, 119th Congress, Introduced in House
secondary · model gpt-5.5 · confidence 94%

verified · Source version 55117 · locator 3422

If you're eligible for Survivor and another benefit, you’ll choose the payment that’s best for you. The payments won’t be added together.

Fetched verbatim passage. AI summary (separate from source): SSA’s current survivor-benefit guidance still describes the existing rule rather than the proposed two-income-household formula, supporting that the promised amendment has not yet been delivered.

unresolved unknown

What you could get from Survivor benefits | SSA
secondary · model gpt-5.5 · confidence 90%

Assessments

Public state: pending As of 2026-09-16 · verified · . Original AI recommendation (not independently established): unresolved. unknown A for effort

The verified commitment shows Pingree was an original cosponsor of legislation to amend Social Security survivor benefits, which supports documented effort. The only verified outcome evidence shows SSA still states that survivor and other benefits are not added together, so enactment of the promised benefit improvement is not established. With no documented expired deadline, an unenacted attempt is unresolved rather than never or partial.

provider codex_cli · model gpt-5.5 · confidence 90%