Rep. David Valadao
Individuals with disabilities who get married should not have their Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits reduced, says U.S. Rep. David Valadao (R-CA).
The congressman on Jan. 18 sponsored the Eliminating the Marriage Penalty in SSI Act, H.R. 7055, alongside five original cosponsors, including U.S. Rep. Susie Lee (D-NV), to remove the current marriage penalty for such individuals.
“Individuals with intellectual disabilities shouldn’t be punished for getting married, but sadly that’s exactly what’s happening with their reduction in SSI benefits,” Rep. Valadao said. “I introduced the Eliminating the Marriage Penalty in SSI Act to ensure married adults with intellectual disabilities have the resources they need to meet their basic needs and lead independent lives.”
Currently, benefits for a married couple who both receive SSI and have no other income amount to 25 percent less than if they lived together unmarried, according to a bill summary provided by Rep. Valadao’s staff.
If enacted, H.R. 7055 would exclude a spouse’s income and resources when determining SSI eligibility, and would disregard marital status when calculating the SSI benefit amount for an adult who has a diagnosed intellectual or developmental disability, the summary says.
“The Eliminating the Marriage Penalty in SSI Act is a much-needed step toward ensuring married adults with diagnosed intellectual and developmental disabilities get every dollar of the Supplemental Security Income they deserve,” said Rep. Lee.
H.R. 7055 is supported by Autism Speaks, the Autism Society of America, the Muscular Dystrophy Association, the National Down Syndrome Congress, the National Down Syndrome Society, and Gigi’s Playhouse Down Syndrome Achievement Centers.