Unnegotiated checks; notice to Commissioner; payment to States; notice to States; investigation of payees

The Secretary of the Treasury shall, on a monthly basis, notify the Commissioner of Social Security of all benefit checks issued under this subchapter which include amounts representing State supplementary payments as described in paragraph (2) and which have not been presented for payment within one hundred and eighty days after the day on which they were issued.

The Commissioner of Social Security shall from time to time determine the amount representing the total of the State supplementary payments made pursuant to agreements under section 1382e(a) of this title and under section 212(b) of Public Law 93–66 which is included in all such benefit checks not presented for payment within one hundred and eighty days after the day on which they were issued, and shall pay each State (or credit each State with) an amount equal to that State’s share of all such amount. Amounts not paid to the States shall be returned to the appropriation from which they were originally paid.

The Commissioner of Social Security, upon notice from the Secretary of the Treasury under paragraph (1), shall notify any State having an agreement described in paragraph (2) of all such benefit checks issued under that State’s agreement which were not presented for payment within one hundred and eighty days after the day on which they were issued.

The Commissioner of Social Security shall, to the maximum extent feasible, investigate the whereabouts and eligibility of the individuals whose benefit checks were not presented for payment within one hundred and eighty days after the day on which they were issued.