Social Security Act (1935)

1) Link to the Text of the Act
Read the statute (42 U.S.C. § 301 et seq.)

2) Why It Was Done
Enacted during the Great Depression to provide a federal safety net for the elderly, unemployed, and disadvantaged. It created programs for old-age pensions, unemployment insurance, and welfare benefits.

3) Pre-existing Law or Constitutional Rights
Before 1935, social welfare programs were largely state or local. The Act marked a major expansion of federal responsibility for economic security.

4) Overreach or Proper Role?
Supporters hailed it as essential relief and a cornerstone of modern social policy. Critics at the time argued it overstepped federal authority, but the Supreme Court upheld it as constitutional in 1937.

5) Who or What It Controls

• Federal agencies (primarily the Social Security Administration)
• States (co-administer unemployment and welfare programs)
• Employers and employees (fund Social Security via payroll taxes)

6) Key Sections / Citations

• 42 U.S.C. § 301 et seq.
• Title II: Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance (OASDI)
• Title XVIII: Medicare (added in 1965)
• Title XIX: Medicaid (added in 1965)

7) Recent Changes or Live Controversies

• Long-term solvency concerns for Social Security Trust Funds
• Political debates over raising retirement age, adjusting benefits, or modifying payroll tax caps
• Ongoing state-federal debates over Medicaid expansion under the ACA

8) Official Sources

• U.S. Code – Title 42, Chapter 7
• Social Security Administration
• Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

• Social Welfare
• Retirement
• Disability
• Healthcare
• States