hold on there's just too much going on in Congress lmao...
Increases SSI benefits and resource limits; expands to territories.
Rep. Grijalva (D-AZ) and 16 cosponsors.
Introduced March 2026; referred to Ways and Means Committee.
This bill would raise the general income exclusion from $240 to $1,892 per year, and the earned income exclusion from $780 to $6,149 per year. Resource limits for individuals would go from $2,250 to $20,000, and from $1,500 to $10,000 for couples. It also extends SSI to Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, and American Samoa. The sponsor, Representative Raúl Grijalva, chairs the House Natural Resources Committee but this bill is under Ways and Means. No committee action has occurred yet.
Introduced Mar 5, 2026
This bill has been introduced in its chamber of Congress. It has been assigned a bill number and referred to a committee for review. Most bills never advance past this stage. The committee may hold hearings, gather expert testimony, and amend the bill before deciding whether to send it to the full chamber for a vote.
Currently, SSI recipients can only keep a limited amount of income and assets. This bill would raise those limits significantly, allowing recipients to work more or save more without losing eligibility. The marriage penalty would be eliminated—couples would receive double the individual benefit instead of a reduced amount. Extending SSI to the territories would make roughly 500,000 additional people potentially eligible.
Supporters Say
Supporters say it restores SSI's purchasing power and helps low-income seniors and disabled people keep more of their money.
Critics Say
Critics argue it could increase federal spending significantly and that expanding to territories may strain administrative resources.
Supporters note that SSI resource limits have not been raised since 1989, so adjusting for inflation is overdue. Critics may point to potential costs—the Congressional Budget Office would likely score the bill as increasing mandatory spending. Additionally, some argue that the waiver authority for territories could lead to inconsistent implementation. No major endorsements or opposition have been formally recorded yet.