Supplemental Security Income Equality Act

This bill, titled the Supplemental Security Income Equality Act, would extend the federal Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program to Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin Islands, Guam, and American Samoa. It makes a series of conforming changes to define the territories as part of the United States for SSI purposes, removes the existing limit on total SSI payments to the territories, and ensures that United States nationals in those territories are treated the same as U.S. citizens under SSI. The bill also gives the Commissioner of Social Security authority to waive or modify certain SSI requirements to fit each territory’s needs and sets a delayed effective date, with the changes taking effect at the start of the first federal fiscal year that begins at least one year after enactment.