110th CONGRESS
1st Session

H. R. 649

To amend title XVI of the Social Security Act to provide that annuities paid by States to blind veterans shall be disregarded in determining supplemental security income benefits.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

January 24, 2007

Mr. REYNOLDS (for himself, Mr. FOSSELLA, Mr. CROWLEY, Mr. MCNULTY, Mr. MURTHA, Mr. HOLDEN, Mr. MEEKS of New York, Mr. DELAHUNT, Mrs. LOWEY, Mr. PLATTS, Mr. MCGOVERN, Mr. ROTHMAN, Mrs. MCCARTHY of New York, Mr. HIGGINS, Mrs. MALONEY of New York, Mr. CAPUANO, Mr. CARNEY, Mr. FATTAH, Mr. FRANK of Massachusetts, Mr. SESTAK, Mr. ALTMIRE, Mr. ARCURI, Mr. HINCHEY, Mr. MCHUGH, and Mr. WALSH of New York) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means

A BILL

To amend title XVI of the Social Security Act to provide that annuities paid by States to blind veterans shall be disregarded in determining supplemental security income benefits.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the `Blind Veterans Fairness Act'.

SEC. 2. STATE ANNUITIES FOR BLIND VETERANS TO BE DISREGARDED IN DETERMINING SUPPLEMENTAL SECURITY INCOME BENEFITS.

    (a) Income Disregard- Section 1612(b) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1382a(b)) is amended--

      (1) by striking `and' at the end of paragraph (22);

      (2) by striking the period at the end of paragraph (23) and inserting `; and'; and

      (3) by adding at the end the following:

      `(24) any annuity paid by a State to the individual (or such spouse) on the basis of the individual's being a veteran (as defined in section 101 of title 38, United States Code) and blind, if a law of such State providing for such an annuity was in effect on the date of the enactment of this paragraph.'.

    (b) Resource Disregard- Section 1613(a) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1382b(a)) is amended--

      (1) by striking `and' at the end of paragraph (14);

      (2) by striking the period at the end of paragraph (15) and inserting `; and'; and

      (3) by inserting after paragraph (15) the following:

      `(16) for the month of receipt and every month thereafter, any annuity paid by a State to the individual (or such spouse) on the basis of the individual's being a veteran (as defined in section 101 of title 38, United States Code) and blind, if a law of such State providing for such an annuity was in effect on the date of the enactment of this paragraph.'.

    (c) Effective Date- The amendments made by this section shall apply to benefits paid for months beginning after the date of the enactment of this Act.

END