Opinion: Lifeline for people with disabilities forces them to live in poverty
“This month marks 50 years since Congress created the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program. Designed to combat poverty among people with disabilities and older adults who have little income and few assets, the program’s outdated rules and benefits now do just the opposite—forcing people to live in poverty for meager monthly cash assistance that doesn’t cover basic needs. On this historic anniversary, Congress has an opportunity to take on one of the most harmful rules, a cap on assets of $2,000 for individuals and $3,000 for couples, by passing the bipartisan SSI Savings Penalty Elimination Act.”