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119-hr-7573119th CongressWALLET

Modernize SSI Stipends Act

Sponsored By: Representative Dexter, Maxine [D-OR-3]

Introduced

Summary

Doubles the minimum monthly personal needs allowances for SSI recipients in institutions and would tie those higher amounts to cost-of-living adjustments so institutionalized beneficiaries get larger, inflation-aware stipends. It would amend sections of the Social Security Act that set institutional allowances and state supplements.

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  • Raises baseline personal needs allowances from $360 to $720 for individuals and from $720 to $1,440 for couples. These higher amounts would apply to benefits for months after December 31, 2025.
  • Changes how cost-of-living adjustments apply so the SSI allowances use whichever is greater: the statutory baseline or the COLA-determined amount. This makes future increases automatic when COLAs push amounts above the doubled baseline.
  • Requires states that provide extra payments to pass through COLA increases tied to these higher institutional allowances. The pass-through change takes effect January 1, 2026 and covers COLAs that occur after September 2025.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

1 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.

Higher SSI personal needs allowances

If enacted, this bill would raise the monthly personal needs allowance for institutionalized SSI beneficiaries. For individuals the floor would be at least $720 per month (up from $360), and for couples it would be at least $1,440 per month (up from $720). These new minimums would apply to benefit months after December 31, 2025, and the bill would make the amounts track cost‑of‑living adjustments so beneficiaries get the higher of the new dollar floor or the COLA‑updated amount. The bill would also change state pass-through rules so state supplementary payments reflect COLAs that occur after September 2025; that pass-through change would take effect January 1, 2026.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Dexter, Maxine [D-OR-3]

OR • D

Cosponsors

  • Rep. Carey, Mike [R-OH-15]

    OH • R

    Sponsored 2/13/2026

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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