Supplemental Security Income Equality Act
Bill: H.R.537 | Sponsor: Resident Commissioner González-Colón, Jenniffer (R-PR)
Policy area: Social Welfare

Summary:
Supplemental Security Income Equality Act
This bill extends the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program to Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and Guam. This is a federal program designed to help aged, blind, and disabled individuals with limited income and resources meet basic needs. When Congress created the SSI program in 1972, it excluded these territories.
The Social Security Administration may waive or modify statutory requirements relating to the provision of benefits as necessary to adapt the SSI program to each territory.
This bill also eliminates a limit on payments from the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program and other Department of Health and Human Services programs to the territories.

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 Representatives 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''.

SEC. 2. EXTENSION OF THE SUPPLEMENTAL SECURITY INCOME 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 striking 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 payments 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 paragraphs (2) 
                and (4) and redesignating paragraphs (3) and (5) as 
                paragraphs (2) and (4), respectively.
            (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 national,'' 
                after ``citizen'';
                    (B) in clause (i)(II), by adding ``; or'' at the 
                end; and
                    (C) in clause (ii), by inserting ``or national'' 
                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 striking ``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 Social Security may 
waive or modify any statutory requirement relating to the provision of 
benefits under the Supplemental Security Income Program under title XVI 
of the Social Security Act in Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin 
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.
    (d) Effective Date.--This section and the amendments 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.
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