...
By Aliss Higham
Reporter
0
Share
Newsweek is a Trust Project member
See more of our trusted coverage when you search.Prefer Newsweek on Googleto see more of our trusted coverage when you search.
A bipartisan group of lawmakers has introduced the Supplemental Security Income Restoration Act to update income limits, asset caps and penalties in the decades-old SSI program that supports millions of Americans.
The plan would raise key thresholds, end a marriage penalty, extend coverage to U.S. territories, and index changes to inflation, with supporters arguing the updates would better reflect today’s costs and reduce poverty among beneficiaries.
Why It Matters
SSI provides monthly benefits to around 7.4 million adults and children who are blind or disabled, or age 65 and older, with limited income and resources. Supporters of the bill say outdated rules have eroded the program’s ability to keep people out of poverty.
Read More on News
Because core features have not been meaningfully updated since the 1970s, poverty rates among SSI beneficiaries are more than double the national rate, according to research conducted by the Roosevelt Institute. In 2026, the maximum federal SSI payments are $994 per month for individuals and $1,491 for eligible married couples, which equals roughly $12,000 per year for individuals and $18,000 for couples.
What To Know
Senator Elizabeth Warren, a Massachusetts Democrat, and House allies have reintroduced the Supplemental Security Income Restoration Act with backing from about 30 lawmakers across the House and Senate, including Republican Representative James Moylan of Guam and Independent Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont.
The bill would raise the general income exclusion, which is the amount of nonemployment income that does not reduce SSI, from $20 per month to $158 per month, a limit that has been unchanged since 1974.
It would also increase the earned income exclusion, which exempts the first portion of wages, from $65 per month to $512 per month, updating a threshold set in 1972.
...
Resource limits for eligible beneficiaries would rise from $2,000 for an individual and $3,000 for a couple to $10,000 and $20,000, respectively, to allow basic savings for emergencies.
The proposal would index these thresholds to inflation annually, raise the benefit rate to 100 percent of the federal poverty level, and eliminate a marriage penalty by setting the couples’ rate at twice the individual rate.
It would also remove penalties tied to in-kind support such as help with food or shelter from friends or family, according to the bill summary.
Eligible residents of U.S. territories, including Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam and American Samoa, would gain access to SSI benefits under the proposal.
What People Are Saying
Senator Warren said: "SSI is a critical lifeline for millions of Americans—but the program is five decades out-of-date, leaving people behind and even punishing them for trying to save up. At a time when Donald Trump’s policies are already driving up everyday costs, we need to make sure seniors and Americans with disabilities can afford their basic needs. My bill will expand and strengthen SSI benefits to deliver some real relief."
Representative James Moylan said: "In Guam, families caring for loved ones with severe disabilities face the same challenges as those anywhere else in America. SSI is designed to provide basic financial security to seniors and individuals with disabilities, yet its outdated limits and geographic exclusions have left too many behind. By updating those limits and finally extending the program to eligible residents of Guam and the other territories, this legislation strengthens SSI nationwide and ensures it better reflects the realities families face today, providing the stability and security they deserve."
What Happens Next
The bill has been referred to the Senate Finance Committee.
View 0 Comments
Submit Correction
View Editorial & AI Guidelines