US House passes bill stopping Social Security for Nazis

Washington, Dec 3 (IANS/EFE) The US House of Representatives has approved a bill to prevent Nazis in exile who are suspected of having committed war crimes from receiving Social Security benefits in the country.

All 420 lawmakers in the lower house Tuesday unanimously supported the proposal which now awaits approval from the Senate before it can come into force.

The bill was tabled in Congress last month after the US media revealed that dozens of suspected Nazis had collected millions of dollars in Social Security payments even after being made to leave the country, owing to a loophole in the system.

"Social Security is an earned benefit hardworking Americans pay as a portion of their wages for promises of future benefits. It's a benefit that was never intended for those who participated in horrific acts of the Holocaust," said Rebublican Congressman Sam Johnson.

The Jewish Federations of North America applauded the decision of the House of Representatives and urged the Senate to endorse it so that it can be signed by President Barack Obama.

"There are more than 100,000 Holocaust survivors living in the US, many of whom struggle to afford basic needs and services," said William Daroff, director of a Jewish organisation in Washington, in a statement.

--IANS/EFE

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