SSI Savings and Efficiency Act

Summary#

This bill changes how the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program treats certain help people get from others. It amends Title XVI of the Social Security Act so that support and maintenance given in kind (for example, goods or services rather than cash) are not counted as income under section 1612(a)(2). The bill also makes several technical or "conforming" edits to related sections (including section 1611(c) and 1621(c)) to reflect this change. One specific change in section 1621(c) says that, for the first 3 years after a noncitizen enters the United States, cash support from a sponsor will not be treated as income to the alien under section 1612(a)(2)(A) to the extent that the sponsor's support was already counted under the deeming rules in 1621(a) or (b). The amendments take effect one year after the bill becomes law.

What it means for you#

• If you receive SSI, the bill would remove in-kind support and maintenance from the list of things counted as income when determining SSI eligibility and payment amounts. How that changes an individual person’s benefit amount or eligibility depends on other SSI rules and is not specified in the bill text.
• If you are a sponsor of a recently arrived noncitizen, the bill clarifies that certain sponsor cash payments will not be counted as the alien’s income in some situations during the first 3 years after entry.

Expenses#

No publicly available information on expected costs, savings, or budgetary effects is included in the bill text or metadata. The bill’s changes would take effect one year after enactment.

Proponents' View#

No publicly available information.

Opponents' View#

No publicly available information.