Making DI Work For All Americans Act of 2019

Bill: 116-hr-4854
Sponsor: Rep. Yoho, Ted S. [R-FL-3]
Introduced: 2019-10-23 in the House
Policy area: Social Welfare
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Census and government statistics
Congressional oversight
Disability assistance
Economic performance and conditions
Employment and training programs
Government studies and investigations
Health information and medical records
Judges
Labor market
Lawyers and legal services
Legal fees and court costs
Medical tests and diagnostic methods
Poverty and welfare assistance
Social Security Administration
Social security and elderly assistance
Unemployment
Wages and earnings

Summary:
action_date: 2019-10-23
text: 

Making DI Work For All Americans Act of 2019

 
This bill revises the Social Security Disability Insurance and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) programs, including with respect to benefits, disability reviews, and claimant representative fees. It also modifies administrative and other activities of the Social Security Administration (SSA) concerning these programs. 
 
Specifically, the bill sets the SSI benefit amount at 1/12 of the federal poverty level and prohibits the receipt of disability benefits and unemployment compensation in the same month. It also increases the frequency of continuing disability reviews, eliminates certain stages of disability review reconsiderations, and requires the SSA to use social media evidence in these reviews. Additionally, the bill eliminates the authority of the SSA to set fees for, and certify payments to, representatives of Social Security claimants.
 
Other changes include applying the Code of Conduct for U.S. Judges to Administrative Law Judges (ALJs) and requiring the SSA to review disability determinations of ALJs who are considered outliers based on the relative number of awards they have made. Furthermore, the SSA must estimate the number of ALJs and support staff that are necessary to complete disability determinations within specified time frames.
 
Additionally, the SSA must update certain guidelines used in disability determinations to account for factors including employment made possible due to advances in treatment, rehabilitation, and technology; update the jobs that exist in the national economy for purposes of disability determinations; study the impact of using different disability standards to determine disability status; and provide specified training to state partners.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2019-10-23
text: Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Oversight and Reform, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2019-10-23
text: Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Oversight and Reform, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2019-10-23
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2019-10-23
text: Introduced in House