Kansas Sen. Jerry Moran and Maryland Sen. Chris Van Hollen have introduced legislation that would change how Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is calculated to help individuals with disabilities.
The Eliminating the Marriage Penalty in SSI Act would exclude a spouse’s income and resources when determining eligibility for SSI and disregard marital status when calculating the SSI benefit amount for an adult who has a diagnosed intellectual or developmental disability.
Currently, many disabled people who rely on programs such as Medicaid and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) are unable to marry without their benefits being cut or taken away altogether.
Senator Moran emphasized that the bill would ensure disability benefits are not reduced simply because a beneficiary chooses to marry. The legislation has received support from organizations such as the National Down Syndrome Society, National Down Syndrome Congress, Autism Speaks, Autism Society of America, Global Down Syndrome Foundation, and the Muscular Dystrophy Association.
Legislative change is long overdue. Disabled people should be able to marry. No one should be forced to choose between their benefits or marriage.
Sources:
Carruth, Madyson. “Kansas Sen. Jerry Moran Introduces Legislation to Recalculate SSI for Individuals with Disabilities.” KCTV5, Gray Television, 23 Dec. 2024, http://www.kctv5.com/2024/12/23/kansas-sen-jerry-moran-introduces-legislation-recalculate-ssi-individuals-with-disabilities/?outputType=amp.
LaGorce, Tammy. “Seeking Marriage Equality for People with Disabilities.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 25 Aug. 2022, https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/25/style/marriage-equality-disabled-people.html.