[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 26 (Thursday, March 12, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E361-E362]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        INTRODUCTION OF DISABLED CHILDREN'S FAIRNESS ACT OF 1998

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                           HON. BOBBY L. RUSH

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 12, 1998

  Mr. RUSH. Mr. Speaker, today I am introducing the Disabled Children's 
Fairness Act of 1998. My bill will offer technical amendments to Title 
XVI of the Social Security Act to lessen the adverse impact of 
provisions in the federal welfare reform law that affect low income 
disabled children receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI) 
benefits. The SSI Coalition for a Responsible Safety Net, a national 
advocacy organization, has endorsed the bill. I also want to thank 
Representatives Waxman and Martinez for their support as original 
cosponsors.
  My bill will reinstate the medical improvement test protection for 
low-income disabled children turning 18 who are subject to mandatory 
review of eligibility for SSI benefits under the federal welfare reform 
law. The amendment would require that before the Social Security 
Administration (SSA) could terminate

[[Page E362]]

benefits for this group of children, SSA would have to show evidence 
that the child's condition no longer existed, or that it had 
significantly improved and no longer impaired the ability to function. 
An estimated 30,000 children turning 18 have already been cut off all 
SSI benefits because of this loophole. The amendment leaves intact the 
new law's provision of a mandated review of all children turning 18.
  The bill also proposes to expand allowable expenditures from 
Dedicated Savings Accounts (DSAs). Dedicated Savings Accounts are funds 
that are set up by parents or representative payees for disabled 
children who are eligible to receive past-due monthly SSI benefits (if 
the payment is six times or more the monthly benefit). Current law 
restricts the use of these funds for certain items. Consequently, many 
disabled children have gone without basic needs (e.g., food, shelter, 
clothing) while their SSI applications were pending. My bill expands 
the list to include items essential to maintaining a child at home with 
parents or guardians.
  I hope that my introduction of the Disabled Children's Fairness Act 
of 1998 will call attention to the responsibility of this Congress to 
revisit the impact of federal welfare reform on low-income disabled 
children and their families.

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