United States-Federal Republic of Germany Agreements on Social Security Message to the Congress Transmitting the Agreements.

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 (P.L. 95-216; 42 U.S.C. 1305 note), I am transmitting the Agreement between the United States of America and the Federal Republic of Germany (F.R.G.), signed on January 7, 1976, the Final Protocol to the 1976 Agreement, also signed on January 7, 1976, and the Administrative Agreement to implement the 1976 Agreement, signed on June 21, 1978.

These U.S.-F.R.G. agreements are similar in objective to the U.S.-Italian social security agreements which I submitted to the Congress on February 28, 1978. Such bilateral agreements, which are generally known as totalization agreements, provide for limited coordination between the United States and foreign social security systems to overcome the problems of gaps in protection and of dual coverage and taxation. In addition to remedying these problems, the 1976 U.S.-F.R.G. Agreement and Administrative Agreement would extend under specified conditions voluntary coverage rights under the F.R.G. system to U.S. citizens who have a prior connection with the F.R.G. system or who reside in the United States and were victims of persecution.

I also transmit for the information of the Congress a comprehensive report prepared by the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, which explains the provisions of the Agreement and provides data on the number of persons affected by the agreements and the effect on social security financing as required by the same provision of the Social Security Amendments of 1977.

The Department of State and the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare join in commending this Agreement, Protocol, and Administrative Agreement.

JIMMY CARTER

The White House,

February 28, 1979.