Wyden Lauds New Proposal to Help Most Vulnerable in SSI

Press Release

Senate Finance Committee Chair Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today released a statement after the Social Security Administration (SSA) released a proposed rule to improve Supplemental Security Income (SSI) by eliminating food expenses from in-kind income, which will simplify administration of the program and increase benefits.

"American families who count on Supplemental Security Income spend every day walking on an economic tightrope," Wyden said. "This proposed rule will take an important step towards helping families get by with dignity. There is more work to be done to bring SSI into the 21st century, and I look forward to working with my colleagues on a bipartisan basis to make that a reality."

The proposed rule changes the program's In-Kind, Support, and Maintenance (ISM) rules to simplify administration of the SSI program and provide additional support for beneficiaries. Today, SSA reviews income and assets to determine an individual's eligibility and receipt of SSI benefits. SSA considers food, shelter, or both that are provided to an SSI beneficiary from someone else--such as a family member--as in-kind support and can result in SSI benefit amounts reduced by up to one-third. The proposed rule would eliminate food expenses as a form of in-kind support.

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