I
107TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 498
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 dem-
onstrated an ability to engage in substantial gainful activity for purposes
of determining disability.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
FEBRUARY 7, 2001
Mr. EHRLICH (for himself, Mr. CHAMBLISS, Mr. OXLEY, Mr. LAHOOD, Mr.
FROST, Ms. BALDWIN, Mr. COBLE, Mr. BOSWELL, Mr. PAYNE, Mr. NEY,
Ms. CARSON of Indiana, Mr. UDALL of New Mexico, Mr. SENSEN-
BRENNER, Mr. KIND, Mr. VISCLOSKY, Mrs. BONO, Mr. CRAMER, Ms.
BERKLEY, Mr. NETHERCUTT, Mr. GREEN of Texas, Mrs. JONES of Ohio,
Mr. BARTLETT of Maryland, Ms. LOFGREN, Mr. BOUCHER, Mr. PAUL,
Ms. KAPTUR, Mr. MCNULTY, Mr. NUSSLE, Mr. PHELPS, Mr. BENTSEN,
Mr. RYUN of Kansas, Mr. SCHIFF, Mr. LAFALCE, Mr. ROGERS of Michi-
gan, Mr. FRANK, Mrs. NORTHUP, Mr. HOLT, Mr. CANTOR, Mr. ALLEN,
Mr. CRENSHAW, Mr. ABERCROMBIE, Mr. HANSEN, Mr. BALDACCI, Mr.
MCHUGH, Mr. KANJORSKI, Mr. TANCREDO, Mr. TOWNS, Mr. ISAKSON,
Mrs. MEEK of Florida, Mr. GILMAN, Mr. ACEVEDO-VILA´, Mr. FOLEY,
Ms. PELOSI, Mr. GILCHREST, Mr. DEFAZIO, Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, Ms.
JACKSON-LEE of Texas, Mr. TRAFICANT, Ms. VELA´ZQUEZ, Mr. BROWN
of Ohio, Mrs. KELLY, Mr. GANSKE, Mrs. MORELLA, and Mr. KING) in-
troduced 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.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
The Act may be cited as the ‘‘Blind Empowerment
Act of 2001’’.
SEC. 2. INCREASE IN AMOUNT DEMONSTRATING SUBSTAN-
TIAL GAINFUL ACTIVITY IN THE CASE OF
BLIND INDIVIDUALS.
Section 223(d)(4) of the Social Security Act (42
U.S.C. 423(d)(4)) is amended—
(1) by striking the second sentence of subpara-
graph (A); and
(2) by adding at the end the following new sub-
paragraph:
‘‘(C)(i) No individual who is blind shall be regarded
as having demonstrated an ability to engage in substantial
gainful activity on the basis of monthly earnings in any
taxable year that do not exceed an amount equal to—
‘‘(I) in the case of earnings in the taxable year
beginning after December 31, 2000, and before Jan-
uary 1, 2002, $1,240.00 per month;
‘‘(II) in the case of earnings in the taxable year
beginning after December 31, 2001, and before Jan-
uary 1, 2003, $1,666.662⁄3 per month;
‘‘(III) in the case of earnings in the taxable
year beginning after December 31, 2002, and before
January 1, 2004, $2,083.331⁄3 per month;
‘‘(IV) in the case of earnings in the taxable
year beginning after December 31, 2003, and before
January 1, 2005, $2,500.00 per month; and
‘‘(V) in the case of earnings in taxable years be-
ginning after December 31, 2004, the dollar amount
determined for purposes of this clause under clause
(ii).
‘‘(ii) The Commissioner of Social Security shall, on
or before November 1 of 2004 and of every year there-
after, determine and publish in the Federal Register the
monthly dollar amount for purposes of clause (i) in the
case of taxable years beginning with or during the suc-
ceeding calendar year. Such dollar amount shall be the
larger of—
‘‘(I) the monthly dollar amount in effect under
clause (i) for taxable years beginning with or during
the calendar year in which the determination under
this clause is made, or
‘‘(II) the product of $2,500 and the ratio of the
national average wage index (as defined in section
209(k)(1)) for the calendar year before the year in
which the determination under this clause is made
to the national average wage index (as so defined)
for 2002,
with such product, if not a multiple of $10, being rounded
to the next higher multiple of $10 where such amount is
a multiple of $5 but not of $10 and to the nearest multiple
of $10 in any other case.’’.
SEC. 3. EFFECTIVE DATE.
The amendments made by this Act shall apply with
respect to taxable years beginning after December 31,
2000.
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