The original Social Security Act is P.L. 74-271 (49 Stat. 620), approved August 14, 1935. The Social Security Act (SSAct) has been amended significantly since 1935. A list of laws which have amended the SSAct may be found in Volume II, Appendix G.
The Social Security Board was responsible for administration of the original Social Security Act except for parts 1, 2, 3, and 5 of Title V (which were administered by the Children’s Bureau, then in the Department of Labor); part 4 of Title V which increased the appropriations authorized for carrying out the Act of June 2, 1920 and Title VI which authorized grants to the States for public health work.
The Social Security Board was transferred to the Federal Security Agency by Reorganization Plan No. 1 of 1939 and the Board’s functions were to be carried on under the direction and supervision of the Federal Security Administrator. Reorganization Plan No. 2 of 1946 transferred the functions of the Children’s Bureau and the functions of the Secretary of Labor under Title V of the Act to the Federal Security Administrator and the Board was abolished.
The Bureau of Employment Security, with its unemployment compensation and employment service function, was transferred from the Federal Security Agency to the Department of Labor by Reorganization Plan No. 2 of 1949.
The Department of Health, Education, and Welfare was established by Reorganization Plan No. 1 of 1953 with a Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare as the head of the Department. All functions of the Federal Security Agency, which was abolished, were transferred to the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare. The functions of the Federal Security Administrator were transferred to the Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare.
The Department of Health, Education, and Welfare was redesignated the Department of Health and Human Services, and the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare was redesignated the Secretary of Health and Human Services by P.L. 96-88, §509, approved October 17, 1979. The Department of Health and Human Services redesignation was effective May 4, 1980 (45 Federal Register 29642; May 5, 1980). The Department of Education which was established by P.L. 96–88 was activated May 4, 1980 (Executive Order 12212 of May 2, 1980; 45 Federal Register 29557; May 5, 1980).
Effective March 31, 1995, the Social Security Administration was established as an independent agency by P.L. 103-296, §101, approved August 15, 1994, with a Commissioner of Social Security responsible for the exercise of all powers and the discharge of all duties of the Administration.
This Compilation currently consists of 2 volumes: