If you are American, PLEASE SUPPORT THE SSI RESTORATION ACT OF 2021
This new bill has been introduced in both the house and the Senate.
Among other things, it will:
Raise the monthly disability income by just over 30 percent - bringing it to poverty level.
Remove penalties for recieving financial help from friends and family.
Increase the amount of assets a disabled person may have from $2,000 to $10,000 (this hasn't been updated since 1989)
Update outside income restrictions to allow disabled people to receive up to $399 a month without reducing their benefits.
REWARD, not penalize, people who want to receive additional income while on social security income.
REMOVE THE MARRIAGE BAN YES YOU READ THAT RIGHT THIS WILL REMOVE THE MARRIAGE BAN
For those unaware current regulations do a lot to oppress disabled people. In fact marriage equality doesn't even extend to disbled people who risk having their benefits reduced or outright taken away if they marry someone. This means that in common law states disabled people can't even live with their significant other or they risk losing their financial independence.
Current regulations mean that if you're disbled you can't have so much as one penny over $2,000 to your name. So buying a car and gaining more independence or freedom is largely out of the question for disabled people.
Current regulations penalize social security recipients who receive income from outside sources, even if those sources are reimbursement. Did you get paid to babysit for a few hours? That's income, and you get your benefits reduced. Did you loan a friend $10 and they pay you back? The government considers that $10 income, and you get your benefits reduced.
These aren't mere anecdotes - these are all examples of actual things that have happened to disbled people I know, and if you have any disabled friends in your life I'm sure they can tell you the same stories.
If you value marriage equality, if you value financial independence, if you value the rights of disbled people, please PLEASE support this bill! Contact your reps, vote, and make noise! This is a great thing!
This is a hugely important issue! Honestly, disabled people deserve even more than this but this is good progress because the current laws are truly fucked up.
