ELIMINATE THE MARRIAGE PENALTY: ASK CONGRESS TO PASS THE ELIMINATING MARRIAGE PENALTY IN SSI ACT (EMPSA) (H.R. 7055) People with Down syndrome have the same dreams for their future as the rest of us. They want to have friends, a good job, a nice place to live, and to share their life with a partner who they love. Many adults with Down syndrome today are able to achieve these dreams with supports. However, they are currently unable to get married without a significant decrease in their much-needed Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits. SSI is critical to people with Down syndrome and other disabilities because it provides monthly payments to people with disabilities and older adults who have little or no income or resources. It also serves as a gateway to other crucial public benefits such as Medicaid. Unfortunately, the current law states that, when two people on SSI get married, they incur a 25% decrease in their monthly benefits, their asset limit (how much they can save) and their income limit (how much they can earn). These severe reductions in SSI benefits are commonly referred to as the “marriage penalty,” and they have prevented many adults with Down syndrome from getting married. Recently, a bill has been introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives to eliminate this marriage penalty. The Eliminating the Marriage Penalty in SSI Act (EMPSA) (H.R. 7055) is a crucial piece of bipartisan legislation that would enable people with Down syndrome to get married without losing benefits. We need your help to build support for this bill. PLEASE CALL AND/OR EMAIL YOUR U.S. REPRESENTATIVE AND ASK THEM TO COSPONSOR EMPSA (HR 7055). If you call, here are some talking points you can use: -
Introduce yourself and let them know you are a constituent (someone who resides in their district) -
Explain that you are an individual with Down syndrome (or have a loved one with Down syndrome) who would like to get married some day just like the rest of us but likely won’t be able to because your/their much-needed benefits under Supplemental Security Income (SSI) will be reduced by 25%, along with the amount of assets they can have and income they can make. -
The Eliminating the Marriage Penalty in SSI Act (EMPSA) (HR 7055) will remove this marriage penalty for individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities who are both on SSI. -
EMPSA already has bipartisan support and would make a huge difference in the lives of people with Down syndrome and other intellectual and developmental disabilities. -
Ask your Representative to cosponsor EMPSA and thank them! Thank you for your advocacy efforts!
The NDSC Policy & Advocacy Team We encourage you to stay engaged in our advocacy efforts by: (1) Registering for NDSC Action Alerts- click "Quick Sign Up"; (2) Joining our national grassroots advocacy program, the National Down Syndrome Advocacy Coalition and (3) "liking" NDSC on social media. |
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