I 
117TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 537 
To extend the supplemental security income program to Puerto Rico, the 
United States Virgin Islands, Guam, and American Samoa, and for 
other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JANUARY 28, 2021 
Miss GONZA´LEZ-COLO´N
(for herself, Mr. TORRES
of New York, Ms. 
PLASKETT, and Mrs. RADEWAGEN) introduced the following bill; which 
was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means 
A BILL 
To extend the supplemental security income program to 
Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin Islands, Guam, 
and American Samoa, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Supplemental Security 
Income Equality Act’’. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
05:34 Feb 16, 2021
Jkt 019200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H537.IH
H537
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
SEC. 2. EXTENSION OF THE SUPPLEMENTAL SECURITY IN-
COME PROGRAM TO PUERTO RICO, THE 
UNITED STATES VIRGIN ISLANDS, GUAM, AND 
AMERICAN SAMOA. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 303 of the Social Security 
Amendments of 1972 (86 Stat. 1484) is amended by strik-
ing subsection (b). 
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.— 
(1) 
DEFINITION
OF
STATE.—Section 
1101(a)(1) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 
1301(a)(1)) is amended by striking the 5th sentence 
and inserting the following: ‘‘Such term when used 
in title XVI includes Puerto Rico, the United States 
Virgin Islands, Guam, and American Samoa.’’. 
(2) ELIMINATION
OF
LIMIT
ON
TOTAL
PAY-
MENTS
TO
THE
TERRITORIES.—Section 1108 of 
such Act (42 U.S.C. 1308) is amended— 
(A) in the section heading, by striking ‘‘; 
LIMITATION ON TOTAL PAYMENTS’’; 
(B) by striking subsection (a); and 
(C) in subsection (c), by striking para-
graphs (2) and (4) and redesignating para-
graphs (3) and (5) as paragraphs (2) and (4), 
respectively. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
05:34 Feb 16, 2021
Jkt 019200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H537.IH
H537
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
(3) UNITED STATES NATIONALS TREATED THE 
SAME AS CITIZENS.—Section 1614(a)(1)(B) of such 
Act (42 U.S.C. 1382c(a)(1)(B)) is amended— 
(A) in clause (i)(I), by inserting ‘‘or na-
tional,’’ after ‘‘citizen’’; 
(B) in clause (i)(II), by adding ‘‘; or’’ at 
the end; and 
(C) in clause (ii), by inserting ‘‘or na-
tional’’ after ‘‘citizen’’. 
(4) TERRITORIES
INCLUDED
IN
GEOGRAPHIC 
MEANING OF UNITED STATES.—Section 1614(e) of 
such Act (42 U.S.C. 1382c(e)) is amended by strik-
ing ‘‘and the District of Columbia’’ and inserting ‘‘, 
the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the United 
States 
Virgin 
Islands, 
Guam, 
and 
American 
Samoa’’. 
(c) WAIVER AUTHORITY.—The Commissioner of So-
cial Security may waive or modify any statutory require-
ment relating to the provision of benefits under the Sup-
plemental Security Income Program under title XVI of the 
Social Security Act in Puerto Rico, the United States Vir-
gin Islands, Guam, or American Samoa, to the extent that 
the Commissioner deems it necessary in order to adapt 
the program to the needs of the territory involved. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
05:34 Feb 16, 2021
Jkt 019200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H537.IH
H537
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
(d) EFFECTIVE DATE.—This section and the amend-
ments made by this section shall take effect on the 1st 
day of the 1st Federal fiscal year that begins 1 year or 
more after the date of the enactment of this Act. 
Æ 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
05:34 Feb 16, 2021
Jkt 019200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\H537.IH
H537
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS