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Read. Follow. Verify.Eliminating the Marriage Penalty in SSI Act (EMPSA Act)
Last action · February 27, 2025: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.Sponsors: David Valadao and 11 others
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What This Bill Would Do
This bill proposes changes to the Social Security Act to ensure that Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits for adults with intellectual or developmental disabilities are not reduced or disqualified due to marriage. It specifically prevents a spouse's income and resources from being counted against the individual's eligibility or benefit amount.
If passed, this bill would allow adults with intellectual or developmental disabilities to marry without losing or seeing a reduction in their federal SSI monthly payments, which currently often happens when a spouse's income is factored into eligibility.
Who It Would Affect
Groups the bill's text would affect if enacted, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
Adults with intellectual or developmental disabilities
Their eligibility and monthly SSI benefit amounts would no longer be impacted by the income or resources of a spouse.
Spouses of SSI recipients with disabilities
Their personal income and resources would be excluded from the financial calculations used to determine their partner's federal benefit eligibility.
Key Facts
- The bill amends Title XVI of the Social Security Act to protect SSI benefits for adults with intellectual or developmental disabilities.
- Individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities will remain eligible for SSI regardless of their marital status.
- The benefit amount for an eligible individual will be calculated based on their own income, excluding the spouse's financial resources.
- The bill applies specifically to individuals who have attained 18 years of age.
Show all 5 facts
- The bill maintains existing exclusions for income and resources as defined in sections 1612(b) and 1613(a) of the Social Security Act.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will my SSI payments change if I get married under this bill?
Who qualifies for these protections?
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News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
Currently in committee. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Floor Vote.
Procedural history
2 actions- Feb 27, 2025HouseCommitteeReferred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
- Feb 27, 2025HouseIntroducedIntroduced in House
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
View official text →Full breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Sponsors
Show 7 more sponsors
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Removal of Spousal Deeming
The bill represents a targeted policy shift to decouple spousal income from disability benefit calculations, specifically for the intellectual and developmental disability community.
Connected Entities
Sources
www.congress.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance75How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy20Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment5Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz30Current news / social attention level
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