S. 639: Clergy Act
A Senate bill (S.) in the 119th U.S. Congress.
Overview
| Congress | 119th U.S. Congress (2025–2026) |
|---|---|
| Type | Senate bill (S.) |
| Originating chamber | Senate |
| Introduced | 2025-02-19 |
| Sponsor | Sen. Britt, Katie Boyd [R-AL] |
| Policy area | Social Welfare |
| Cosponsors | 3 |
| Latest action | 2025-02-19 — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. |
| Last updated | 2026-06-13 |
Summary
Official summary (Introduced in Senate, 2025-02-19):
Clergy Act
This bill establishes a two-year window for certain members of the clergy and Christian Science practitioners to revoke their exemption from Social Security and Medicare taxes on ministerial earnings. Under current law, such individuals who object to participation in public insurance programs on religious or conscientious grounds may apply to the Internal Revenue Service for an irrevocable exemption and will not receive Social Security or Medicare benefits in retirement unless they have qualifying credits from other employment.
The Internal Revenue Service must develop a plan to inform members of the clergy and Christian Science practitioners of their eligibility to revoke prior exemptions, pursuant to the bill's changes.
Cosponsors (3)
| Name | Party / state |
|---|---|
| Margaret Wood Hassan | D NH (original cosponsor) 2025-02-19 |
| Christopher A. Coons | D DE 2026-06-11 |
| James Lankford | R OK 2026-06-11 |
Full text & official record
The official bill text, section-by-section summary, amendments, committee reports, and the complete legislative timeline for S. 639 are published by Congress on congress.gov.
Frequently asked questions
What is S. 639?
S. 639 is a Senate bill (S.) introduced in the 119th U.S. Congress, originating in the Senate. Official title: Clergy Act.
Where can I read the full bill text?
The full text, cosponsors, amendments, and legislative status for S. 639 are available on congress.gov.
Bill data: congress.gov API (official congressional records).