Betsy Rosecan, NOSSCR Government Relations Director

On January 13, 2025, Sen. Jerry Moran (R-KS) introduced S. 73, a bill to amend title XVI of the Social Security Act to provide that the Supplemental Security Income benefits of adults with intellectual or developmental disabilities shall not be reduced by reason of marriage. The bill has one cosponsor, Sen. Chris VanHollen (D-MD). Companion legislation has not yet been introduced in the House of Representatives.

S. 73 seeks to end the “penalty” for SSI recipients who marry. Currently, when assessing eligibility for SSI, the “money and property” of a recipient’s spouse are included in the formula. In some cases, this means that payments are reduced or fully eliminated. This legislation would exclude a spouse’s income and resources when determining an SSI beneficiary’s eligibility. NOSSCR supports this legislation.

The full text of the bill is not yet available, but a information on S. 73 can be found here.