Report of the Advisory Council on Social Security: The Status of the Social Security Program and Recommendations for Its Improvement

As required by law, this Advisory Council was appointed by the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare in 1963. It, is the second Advisory Council appointed under the Social Security Amendments of 1956. The first was appointed in 1957 and made its report on January 1, 1959. Under the law other advisory councils are to be appointed in 1966 and every fifth year thereafter. Like the preceding Council and the comncils to be appointed in the future, the present Council is required to review the status of the Federal OldAge and Survivors Insurance Trust Fund and of the Federal Disability Insurance Trust, Fund in relation to the long-term commitments of the social security program and to make a report of its findings and recommendations, including recommendations for changes in the social security tax rates. In addition, however, the law gives the present Council s special mandate ; it, provides that the Council “shall, in addition to the other findings alla recommendations it is required to make, include in its report its findings and recommendations with respect to extensions of the coverage of the old-age, survivors, and disability in-