SSI was enacted in 1972 and began paying benefits in 1974. Since then, the program has changed in ways not anticipated by Congress in 1972. Other programs have been enacted or amended to impact the same population. At the same time, some aspects of the SSI program have not changed over the years. After more than 35 years, it is time for Congress to consider re-examining the SSI program. Congress should consider what it wants to accomplish with the SSI program, looking specifically at what an SSI benefit buys now and what Congress intends it should buy. Any changes to the program should avoid adding complexity and even aim to reduce complexity if possible.
SSI is now operating in a world that has changed and with a much different beneficiary population. New analytical tools and data that were not available 35 years ago could be helpful for a review of the program. The board’s specific recommendations follow. Congress should consider how equivalence scales could be applied to the SSI benefit structure, regardless of the marital status of the members of the households. Research should be conducted to develop equivalence scales that would reflect the additional needs of beneficiaries with disabilities. Income exclusions and asset limits should be examined to ensure they still serve the purposes for which they were developed.
The Statement is included in SSA’s 2008 Annual Report on the SSI Program. The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act of 1996 gives Board members the opportunity, individually or jointly, to include their views on SSI in SSA’s annual report to the President and Congress on the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program. The Board or one of its members has submitted a statement every year since 1998, except for 2024 due to the lack of a quorum.