Message to the Congress Transmitting the Austria-United States Social Security Agreement

To the Congress of the United States:

Pursuant to section 233(e)(1) of the Social Security Act, as amended by the Social Security Amendments of 1977 (Public Law 95 - 216; 42 U.S.C. 433(e)(1)), I transmit herewith the Agreement between the United States of America and the Republic of Austria on Social Security, which consists of two separate instruments -- a principal agreement and an administrative arrangement. The Agreement was signed at Vienna on July 13, 1990.

The United States-Austria Agreement is similar in objective to the social security agreements already in force with Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. Such bilateral agreements provide for limited coordination between the United States and foreign social security systems to eliminate dual social security coverage and taxation, and to help prevent the loss of benefit protection that can occur when workers divide their careers between two countries.

I also transmit for the information of the Congress a comprehensive report prepared by the Department of Health and Human Services, which explains the provisions of the Agreement and provides data on the number of persons affected by the Agreement and the effect on social security financing as required by the same provision of the Social Security Act. I note that the Department of State and the Department of Health and Human Services have recommended the Agreement and related documents to me.

I commend the United States-Austria Social Security Agreement and related documents.

George Bush

The White House,

March 7, 1991.