Social Security – Supplemental Security Income Restoration Act Introduced
in the House and Senate
Last week, the Supplemental Security Income Restoration Act (SSI Restoration Act)
was introduced in the Senate (S.1387) by Senators Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Elizabeth
Warren (D-MA), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Bob Casey (D-PA), Sheldon Whitehouse
(D-RI), and Mazie Hirono (D-HI) and in the House (H.R. 2442) by Representative
Raul Grijalva (D-AZ) and 25 cosponsors. The bill seeks to restore the SSI program’s
original intent of protecting beneficiaries, including people with disabilities and the
elderly, against extreme poverty. The bill modernizes SSI resource limits for
individuals and couples, to $10,000 and $15,000, respectively. These limits have not
been adjusted for inflation since 1989. The bill would also update the general income
disregard (to $112 per month) as well as the earned income disregard (to $364 per
month) to the amounts they would be currently, if they had been adjusted for inflation
since SSI’s inception in 1972. Moving forward, both the SSI resource limits and
income disregards would be updated annually for inflation. Lastly, the bill would repeal
the SSI in-kind support and maintenance provision as well as the SSI transfer penalty.
The SSI Restoration Act was referred in the Senate to the Committee on Finance, and
in the House to the Committee on Ways and Means. The Arc applauds the introduction
of this bill.
Announcements
Medicaid and Social Security – The Arc Calls on Advocates to Support Lifeline
Programs Medicaid, Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), and other lifeline
programs for people with I/DD are under attack. The House and Senate passed a
concurrent budget resolution that calls for significant cuts, setting in motion a process to
restructure the Medicaid program. It’s time to act! We are calling on our advocates to
engage their Members of Congress in support of these critical programs. Please register
your concerns by responding to the action alert posted above. To assist you with
engaging in other activities, The Arc has created a toolkit with tips and key messages to
convey. The Memorial Day recess and the July 4th recess are excellent times to step
up our activities by writing, calling or visiting your Member of Congress. .
Tony Paulauski Executive Director
The Arc of Illinois
20901 S. LaGrange Rd. Suite 209
Frankfort, IL 60423
815-464-1832 (OFFICE)
815-464-1832 (CELL)
Tony@thearcofil.org
