The release of the Totalization Agreement with Mexico took more than three years of persistent requests on the part of TSCL including filing under the Freedom of Information Act.  Even Members of Congress had not been successful in obtaining a copy.  Last July, some two years after the Social Security Administration had signed the agreement with Mexico, an actual copy still had not been disclosed to elected lawmakers or the public, according to the Congressional Research Service.

As a Member of the the House of Representatives, Congressman Walter Jones (3rd-NC) stated, "I applaud the persistent efforts of TREA Senior Citizens League to get documents from the U.S. government about the U.S.-Mexico Social Security Totalization Agreement.  I am pleased to see the American people are finally beginning to get some of the information and documents regarding this Agreement they have been seeking for so long.":

Congress may move on immigration legislation soon, and TSCL believes the release of this document could signal that President Bush may be ready to sign it and send it to Congress.  Congress would have only 60 days to act to reject the agreement before it would become law.  TSCL urges you to contact your Members of Congress and express your views on the agreement.

January 2007