WASHINGTON – Rep. Benjamin L. Cardin has joined as a co-sponsor of bipartisan legislation that would make improvements to the Social Security program for women. The Social Security Benefit Enhancement for Women Act would improve benefits for women who have disabilities; are divorced and those whose spouse may have retired early and then died.

    "This bill is a step in improving benefits for women. For a variety of reasons, women are much more dependent on Social Security income than men in their later years and it's important that we take that into account when we look at strengthening the Social Security program," said Rep. Cardin, a member of the Social Security Subcommittee.

    According to the Social Security Administration, women constitute the majority of elderly Social Security beneficiaries – approximately 60% of Social Security recipients over the age of 65 and 72% of beneficiaries over the age of 85 are women. Women, on average, earn less than men and are less likely to be covered by an employer-sponsored pension plan. In addition, 27% of women over age 65 count on Social Security for 90% of their income.

    The legislation three provisions, which would affect approximately 122,500 beneficiaries. The bill would:

• Eliminate the current 7-year deadline for the onset of a disability in order to be eligible for benefits as a disabled widow (er); 
• Allow divorced spouse's benefits to be paid before the 2-year period has elapsed if the former spouse has remarried.; 
• Limit the widow (er)'s actuarial reduction to the number of months the worker actually received benefits.