I 

108TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 173

To amend title II of the Social Security Act to increase the level of earnings 

under which no individual who is blind is determined to have demonstrated an ability to engage in substantial gainful activity for purposes 

of determining disability. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JANUARY 7, 2003

Mr. REYNOLDS introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 

Committee on Ways and Means 

A BILL

To amend title II of the Social Security Act to increase 

the level of earnings under which no individual who is 

blind is determined to have demonstrated an ability to 

engage in substantial gainful activity for purposes of 

determining disability.

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 The Act may be cited as the ‘‘Blind Empowerment 

5 Act of 2003’’. 
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1 SEC. 2. INCREASE IN AMOUNT DEMONSTRATING SUBSTAN2 TIAL GAINFUL ACTIVITY IN THE CASE OF 

3 BLIND INDIVIDUALS. 

4 Section 223(d)(4) of the Social Security Act (42 

5 U.S.C. 423(d)(4)) is amended—

6 (1) by striking the second sentence of subpara7 graph (A); and 

8 (2) by adding at the end the following new sub9 paragraph: 

10 ‘‘(C)(i) No individual who is blind shall be regarded 

11 as having demonstrated an ability to engage in substantial 

12 gainful activity on the basis of monthly earnings in any 

13 taxable year that do not exceed an amount equal to—

14 ‘‘(I) in the case of earnings in the taxable year 

15 beginning after December 31, 2002, and before Jan16 uary 1, 2004, $1,330 per month; 

17 ‘‘(II) in the case of earnings in the taxable year 

18 beginning after December 31, 2003, and before Jan19 uary 1, 2005, $1,720 per month; 

20 ‘‘(III) in the case of earnings in the taxable 

21 year beginning after December 31, 2004, and before 

22 January 1, 2006, $2,110 per month; 

23 ‘‘(IV) in the case of earnings in the taxable 

24 year beginning after December 31, 2005, and before 

25 January 1, 2007, $2,500.00 per month; and 
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1 ‘‘(V) in the case of earnings in taxable years be2 ginning after December 31, 2006, the dollar amount 

3 determined for purposes of this clause under clause 

4 (ii). 

5 ‘‘(ii) The Commissioner of Social Security shall, on 

6 or before November 1 of 2006 and of every year there7 after, determine and publish in the Federal Register the 

8 monthly dollar amount for purposes of clause (i) in the 

9 case of taxable years beginning with or during the suc10 ceeding calendar year. Such dollar amount shall be the 

11 larger of—

12 ‘‘(I) the monthly dollar amount in effect under 

13 clause (i) for taxable years beginning with or during 

14 the calendar year in which the determination under 

15 this clause is made, or 

16 ‘‘(II) the product of $2,500 and the ratio of the 

17 national average wage index (as defined in section 

18 209(k)(1)) for the calendar year before the year in 

19 which the determination under this clause is made 

20 to the national average wage index (as so defined) 

21 for 2004, 

22 with such product, if not a multiple of $10, being rounded 

23 to the next higher multiple of $10 where such amount is 

24 a multiple of $5 but not of $10 and to the nearest multiple 

25 of $10 in any other case.’’. 
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1 SEC. 3. EFFECTIVE DATE. 

2 The amendments made by this Act shall apply with 

3 respect to taxable years beginning after December 31, 

4 2002.

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