Language Equity in Social Security Act of 2020

Bill: 116-hr-5970
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Scanlon, Mary Gay [D-PA-5]
Introduced: 2020-02-25
Policy area: Social Welfare
Subjects: Disability assistance

Foreign language and bilingual programs

Social security and elderly assistance
Latest action: action_date: 2020-02-25
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Social Security.

Summaries:
action_date: 2020-02-25
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><b>Language Equity in Social Security Act of 2020</b></p> <p>This bill requires the Social Security Administration (SSA) to take into account an individual's linguistic limitations, including any lack of facility with the English language, when determining if the individual has a disability for purposes of eligibility for Social Security Disability Insurance benefits or Supplemental Security Income. SSA regulations scheduled to take effect on April 27, 2020, eliminate an individual's inability to communicate in English as an educational factor for purposes of determining whether the individual can make an adjustment to perform other work.</p> <p />

tv_txt: I 116th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 5970 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES February 25, 2020 Ms. Scanlon introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means A BILL To amend titles II and XVI of the Social Security Act to direct the Commissioner of Social Security to consider linguistic limitations in disability determinations, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Language Equity in Social Security Act of 2020 . 2. Consideration of linguistic limitations in disability determinations (a) Amendment to title II Section 223(d)(2) of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 423(d)(2) ) is amended— (1) by redesignating subparagraph (C) as subparagraph (D); and (2) by inserting after subparagraph (B) the following: (C) In considering an individual’s education for purposes of subparagraph (A), the Commissioner of Social Security shall specifically take into account as an adverse factor any linguistic limitation such individual may have (including any lack of facility with the English language). . (b) Amendment to title XVI Section 1614(a)(3)(B) of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1382c(a)(3)(B) ) is amended by striking For purposes of the preceding sentence and all that follows through the end and inserting For purposes of the preceding sentence (with respect to any individual)— (i) work which exists in the national economy means work which exists in significant numbers either in the region where such individual lives or in several regions of the country; and (ii) in considering an individual’s education, the Commissioner of Social Security shall specifically take into account as an adverse factor any linguistic limitation such individual may have (including any lack of facility with the English language). . (c) Effective date The amendments made by this section shall apply with respect to determinations of disability occurring after the date of enactment of this Act.