Supplemental Security Income Equality Act

Bill: 117-hr-537
Sponsor: full_name: Resident Commissioner González-Colón, Jenniffer [R-PR-At Large]
Introduced: 2021-01-28
Policy area: Social Welfare
Subjects: Administrative remedies

American Samoa

Caribbean area

Guam

Poverty and welfare assistance

Puerto Rico

Social Security Administration

U.S. territories and protectorates

Virgin Islands
Latest action: action_date: 2021-01-28
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Social Security.

Summaries:
action_date: 2021-01-28
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><b>Supplemental Security Income Equality Act</b> <p>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. <p>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. <p>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.

tv_txt: I 117th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 537 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES January 28, 2021 Miss González-Colón (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.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Supplemental Security Income Equality Act . 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.