Bill > HR1175

This bill establishes a 20-year demonstration project by the Social Security Administration specifically designed to help blind individuals return to work while maintaining Social Security disability benefits. Under this project, blind individuals receiving disability benefits would have their benefits modified to create a more supportive work environment: their benefits would be reduced by only $1 for every $2 they earn above a certain exempt amount, rather than being completely terminated if they start working. The project would remove traditional restrictions like substantial gainful activity determinations and trial work periods, allowing blind individuals to more easily transition into employment without immediately losing their benefits. Participants would be eligible for this modified benefit structure during the first 120 months of the 20-year project, and after that period, they would have the option to opt out of the demonstration project. The bill aims to provide more flexible financial support for blind Americans seeking to enter or re-enter the workforce by reducing the financial risks associated with employment for disability benefit recipients.

Budget and Finance

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/1175/all-info