Message to the Congress Transmitting the Slovakia-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)) (the "Social Security Act"), I transmit herewith an Agreement on Social Security between the United States of America and the Slovak Republic (the "United States-Slovak Republic Totalization Agreement"). The Agreement consists of two separate instruments: a principal agreement and an administrative arrangement. The Agreement was signed in Bratislava on December 10, 2012.

The United States-Slovak Republic Totalization Agreement is similar in objective to the social security totalization agreements already in force with most European Union countries, Australia, Canada, Chile, Japan, Norway, and the Republic of Korea. 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 lost benefit protection that can occur when workers divide their careers between two countries. The United States-Slovak Republic Totalization Agreement contains all provisions mandated by section 233 of the Social Security Act and other provisions that I deem appropriate to carry out the purposes of section 233, pursuant to section 233(c)(4) of the Social Security Act.

I also transmit for the information of the Congress a report prepared by the Social Security Administration explaining the key points of the United States-Slovak Republic Totalization Agreement, along with a paragraph-by-paragraph explanation of the provisions of the principal agreement and administrative arrangement. Annexed to this report is another report required by section 233(e)(1) of the Social Security Act on the effect of the United States-Slovak Republic Totalization Agreement on income and expenditures of the U.S. Social Security program and the number of individuals affected by the United States-Slovak Republic Totalization Agreement.

BARACK OBAMA

The White House,

September 17, 2013.