Bill > HR7828

This bill, the Supplemental Security Income Restoration Act of 2026, aims to significantly update and expand eligibility and benefits for the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program, which provides cash assistance to low-income individuals who are aged, blind, or disabled. Key provisions include substantially increasing the income exclusion amounts, meaning more of a person's earnings won't count against their SSI benefits, and raising the resource limits, which are the maximum assets an individual or couple can own to remain eligible. The bill also adjusts the basic SSI benefit amounts to align with poverty guidelines and eliminates a "marriage penalty" that previously reduced benefits for married couples. Furthermore, it clarifies that certain forms of support, like retirement accounts and tribal general welfare payments, will not be counted as income or resources, and extends the period for excluding certain payments from countable resources. Importantly, this legislation extends SSI benefits to residents of Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, and American Samoa, treating them similarly to U.S. citizens for program purposes, and grants the Commissioner of Social Security authority to adapt the program to the specific needs of these territories. Other changes include simplifying rules around past-due benefits and installment payments, and modifying how marital relationships are determined for SSI eligibility.