Support Disabled Americans - Eliminate SSI Savings and Marriage Penalties

Disabled Americans deserve financial security and marriage rights, and right now they have neither. Two bills currently before the House, HR 2540 and HR 1757, will change these situations to be more fair and equitable for disabled Americans. Since 1989, disabled Americans have not been able to save more than $2,000 without taking the risk of losing their disability benefits through Supplemental Security Income (SSI). This is due to Section 1611(a)(3) of the Social Security Act being severely outdated, with no provision for inflation adjustments. Further, if a disabled American gets married, their benefits can be completely canceled due to their spouse’s income. If two SSI recipients marry, under Sections 1614(f) and 1611(3) of that same Act, their income will be treated not as a couple’s income, but as an individual income, and subject to individual savings limits rather than couples’ savings limits. Functionally, these issues mean disabled Americans cannot save money towards necessary purchases, medical bills, or even a three-month savings cushion, as generally advised by most economists as a prudent savings goal. In today’s economy, $2,000 does not even pay for a month’s living costs. They also mean disabled Americans cannot marry without severe financial consequences. These consequences are unacceptable. HR 2540, the SSI Savings Penalty Elimination Act, addresses the savings issue, by raising the resource limit for individuals to $10,000 and for couples to $20,000. It also adds new language to Section 1617 of the Social Security Act which indexes the new limits to inflation, which will prevent them from becoming outdated (as the current limits are). HR 1757, the EMPSA (Eliminating the Marriage Penalty in SSI Act), addresses the marriage penalty issue, by creating a new eligibility category for SSI benefits for disabled individuals, which prevents their spouse’s income counting against them. I urge you to vote YES on HR 2540 and HR 1757 when they come to the House floor, and to encourage your fellow Representatives to do the same.