H.R. 8298: SSI Savings and Efficiency Act of 2026

SSI Savings and Efficiency Act of 2026

This bill amends the Social Security Act to change how income is calculated for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) eligibility. Its primary function is to exclude "in-kind support and maintenance" (free food, housing, or assistance provided by friends or family) from being counted as income, preventing those non-cash contributions from reducing a recipient's SSI benefits. Additionally, the legislation includes a specific provision regarding aliens during their first three years in the United States, mandating that cash support provided by their sponsor will no longer be counted as income against the alien's SSI eligibility, provided those funds were already factored into the sponsor's deemed income calculation. This provision undermines public charge doctrine and expands the welfare magnet by allowing aliens to draw taxpayer-funded benefits while their private sponsor's financial support goes uncounted.