I
106TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 1601
To amend title II of the Social Security Act to restore the link between
the maximum amount of earnings by blind individuals permitted without
demonstrating ability to engage in substantial gainful activity and the
exempt amount permitted in determining excess earnings under the earn-
ings test.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
APRIL 28, 1999
Mr. EHRLICH (for himself, Mrs. THURMAN, Mr. COOKSEY, Mr. LARSON, Mr.
WATTS of Oklahoma, Mrs. NORTHUP, Mr. MCINTOSH, Mr. BLUNT, Mr.
SERRANO, Mr. YOUNG of Alaska, Mr. BEREUTER, Ms. HOOLEY of Or-
egon, Mr. LEWIS of Georgia, Mr. WYNN, Mr. OBERSTAR, Mr. WEYGAND,
Ms. KILPATRICK, Mr. BARRETT of Wisconsin, Mr. HALL of Ohio, Mr.
HORN, Mr. TRAFICANT, Mr. SANDERS, Mr. SALMON, Mr. CLEMENT, Mr.
MEEHAN, Mr. HEFLEY, Mr. FRANK of Massachusetts, Mrs. MEEK of
Florida, Mr. TOWNS, Mr. SHAYS, Mrs. MINK of Hawaii, Mr. SNYDER,
Mr. BERMAN, Mr. ABERCROMBIE, Mr. BOUCHER, Mr. ROTHMAN, Mr.
MCNULTY, Mr. GREEN of Texas, Mr. MENENDEZ, Mr. BENTSEN, Mr.
BALDACCI, Ms. DELAURO, Mr. BISHOP, Mr. NEAL of Massachusetts, Mr.
DIAZ-BALART, Mr. FROST, Mr. DIXON, Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas, Mrs.
CHRISTENSEN, Mr. BONIOR, Mr. UNDERWOOD, Mr. DEFAZIO, Mr. RO-
MERO-BARCELO´, Mr. STUMP, Mr. TAYLOR of North Carolina, Mr.
TIERNEY, Mr. LATOURETTE, Mr. ACKERMAN, Mr. WALSH, Mr. BART-
LETT of Maryland, Mr. GILCHREST, Mrs. MORELLA, Mr. LAFALCE, Ms.
SLAUGHTER, Mr. COSTELLO, Mr. BLUMENAUER, Mr. HOBSON, Mr.
FLETCHER, Mr. KUYKENDALL, Mr. CALVERT, Mr. CLAY, Mr. GUTIER-
REZ, Ms. WOOLSEY, Mr. DICKEY, Mr. LOBIONDO, Mr. WATKINS, Mr.
DEUTSCH, Mr. HINCHEY, Mr. COBURN, Mr. GOODLING, Mr. DOYLE, Mr.
CARDIN, Mr. FATTAH, Mrs. TAUSCHER, Mr. FOSSELLA, Mr. BROWN of
California, Mr. BAKER, Ms. DANNER, Mrs. CLAYTON, Mr. TAUZIN, Mr.
STARK, Mr. SMITH of New Jersey, Mr. LAMPSON, Mr. BORSKI, Mr.
PAYNE, Mr. PRICE of North Carolina, Mr. COBLE, Mrs. CAPPS, Mr.
MARTINEZ, Mr. MURTHA, Mr. NUSSLE, Mr. GALLEGLY, Mr. SCHAFFER,
Mr. ISTOOK, Mr. LARGENT, Mr. SAWYER, Mr. MCDERMOTT, Mr. WATT
of North Carolina, Mr. TALENT, Mr. BALLENGER, Mr. VENTO, Mr.
LUCAS of Oklahoma, Mr. BAIRD, Mr. KIND, Mr. WISE, Mr. BECERRA,
Mr. STEARNS, Mr. CAMPBELL, Mr. CRAMER, Mr. BOSWELL, Mr. RADAN-
OVICH, Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi, Ms. BROWN of Florida, Mr. BLI-
LEY, Mr. FILNER, Ms. SANCHEZ, Mr. KENNEDY of Rhode Island, Mr.
GREENWOOD, Mr. KLINK, Mr. KANJORSKI, Mr. OXLEY, Mr. PASTOR, Mr.
HASTINGS of Florida, Mr. DAVIS of Virginia, Mr. NADLER, Mr. SPENCE,
Mr. RUSH, Mr. KILDEE, Mr. ALLEN, Ms. CARSON, Mr. HOLDEN, Mr.
TERRY, Mrs. JONES of Ohio, Mr. BURR of North Carolina, Mr. GON-
ZALEZ, Mr. STRICKLAND, Mr. SESSIONS, Ms. PRYCE of Ohio, Mr.
GEJDENSON, Mr. MCGOVERN, Mr. PASCRELL, Mr. NEY, Mr. HILLIARD,
Mr. WAXMAN, Mr. CUNNINGHAM, Mr. SUNUNU, Mr. HANSEN, Mr.
WEXLER, Mr. COYNE, Mr. BARRETT of Nebraska, Mr. LEWIS of Ken-
tucky, Mr. SHOWS, Mr. VISCLOSKY, Ms. PELOSI, Mr. LEACH, Mr. BUR-
TON of Indiana, Mr. DICKS, Mrs. MALONEY of New York, Mr. HUTCH-
INSON, Ms. KAPTUR, Mr. COOK, Mr. SPRATT, Mr. REGULA, Mr. PETER-
SON of Minnesota, Mr. CUMMINGS, Mr. NETHERCUTT, Mr. LATHAM, Mr.
FARR of California, Mr. JOHN, Mr. OLVER, Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN, Mr.
SMITH of Washington, Mr. WHITFIELD, Mr. BROWN of Ohio, Mr. WOLF,
Mr. CLYBURN, Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, Mr. GILMAN, Mr. MORAN of Virginia,
Mr. KING, Mrs. CHENOWETH, Mr. SABO, Mr. THORNBERRY, Mrs. EMER-
SON, Mrs. MYRICK, Mr. PETERSON of Pennsylvania, Mr. CHABOT, Mr.
RAHALL, Mr. DOOLEY of California, Mr. SKELTON, Mr. MINGE, Mr. INS-
LEE, Mr. KUCINICH, Mr. WAMP, Mr. FOLEY, Mr. SCOTT, Mr. GARY MIL-
LER of California, Mr. GANSKE, Ms. GRANGER, Ms. MCCARTHY of Mis-
souri, Mr. JEFFERSON, Mr. NORWOOD, Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON
of Texas, Mr. CAPUANO, Mr. HOEFFEL, Mr. LIPINSKI, Mr. MATSUI, Mr.
GILLMOR, Mr. MALONEY of Connecticut, Mr. WEINER, Ms. BALDWIN,
Mr. MOORE, Mr. POMBO, Mr. DELAHUNT, Mr. ROEMER, Mr. DAVIS of
Illinois, Mr. HOYER, Mr. BERRY, Mr. HALL of Texas, Mr. QUINN, Mr.
ORTIZ, Mr. SIMPSON, and Mr. CONDIT) 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 restore
the link between the maximum amount of earnings by
blind individuals permitted without demonstrating ability
to engage in substantial gainful activity and the exempt
amount permitted in determining excess earnings under
the earnings test.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. RESTORATION OF LINK BETWEEN RULES RE-
LATING TO SUBSTANTIAL GAINFUL ACTIVITY
FOR BLIND INDIVIDUALS AND RULES RELAT-
ING TO EXCESS EARNINGS UNDER THE EARN-
INGS TEST.
Section 223(d)(4)(A) of the Social Security Act (42
U.S.C. 423(d)(4)(A)) is amended by striking ‘‘No indi-
vidual who is blind’’ and all that follows through ‘‘had not
been enacted.’’ and inserting ‘‘No individual who is blind
shall be regarded as having demonstrated an ability to en-
gage in substantial gainful activity on the basis of earn-
ings that do not exceed an amount equal to the exempt
amount under section 203(f)(8) which is applicable to in-
dividuals described in subparagraph (D) thereof.’’.
SEC. 2. EFFECTIVE DATE.
The amendments made by this Act shall apply with
respect to taxable years ending after 1995.
Æ