Contact Congress! Yes to the SSI Restoration Act!

For millions of people with disabilities, SSI and SSDI are critical economic supports. Currently, Congress is considering a major piece of SSI reform known as the SSI Restoration Act.

A Congressional subcommittee held a hearing on reforming SSI-the very first such hearing Congress has held in 23 years! Read more about the hearing at this link. Also, Mia Ives-Rublee, Director of the Disability Justice Initiative at the Center for American progress, testified on why SSI reform is critical for people with disabilities. Read Mia's comments at this link. Don't forget, you have until October 5 to send in your own story to support SSI reform at this link, and to take action to support the SSI Restoration Act at this link. Twitter folks are using the hashtag #DemolishDisabledPoverty.

How can you help? You can send a quick email to your members of Congress about why you need them to support the SSI Restoration Act.  If you're not sure about what the SSI Restoration Act would do, according to Senator Sherrod Brown's summary, it would:

• Raise SSI's sub-poverty-level monthly benefits, currently $794 per month, to 100% of the federal poverty level--a 31% increase--and index them to inflation;
• Update and index the assets individuals or couples may have up to $10,000 and $20,000, respectively. The current limit of $2,000 for an individual and $3,000 for a couple has not been updated since 1989;
• Update and index SSI's income rules -- which have never been updated since the program was signed into law in 1972. These reforms will allow individuals to earn up to $399 a month from working, and up to $123 a month in assistance from other sources: including Social Security, veterans' benefits, and pension payments without being subject to a benefit reduction.
• These reforms will reward, not penalize, SSI recipients who want to earn additional income to provide for themselves and their families;
• Eliminate the marriage penalty and increase the benefit for married couples to double the individual rate, to put marriage equality within reach for SSI beneficiaries; and
• Eliminate benefit reductions that penalize beneficiaries who receive in-kind help from friends or family, such as groceries or a place to stay.

 Over and over again, we have heard SSI recipients struggle because the above issues have not been addressed. The SSI Restoration Act is a critical, historic opportunity to right wrongs, whether it is included in the overall Congressional budget reconciliation bill or as a standalone bill. We need the SSI Restoration Act now! Please share this action alert widely.