Bill > S73

This bill, known as the Eliminating the Marriage Penalty in SSI Act (EMPSA), aims to modify Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits for adults with intellectual or developmental disabilities by removing financial penalties associated with marriage. Specifically, the bill changes existing Social Security Act provisions to ensure that individuals aged 18 and older with intellectual or developmental disabilities can receive SSI benefits without having their income or resource calculations negatively impacted by their spouse's financial status. Under the proposed changes, when determining SSI eligibility and benefit amounts for such individuals, the income and resources of their spouse will not be considered or "deemed" in the calculation. This means that married adults with intellectual or developmental disabilities can receive the same level of benefits they would receive if they were single, effectively eliminating what is currently known as the "marriage penalty" in SSI benefits. The bill's provisions would take effect 180 days after its enactment, giving government agencies time to implement the new rules. The goal is to provide more financial stability and independence for married individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities by preventing their marital status from reducing their critical support benefits.

Budget and Finance

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/73/all-info