H.R. 761House117th Congress (2021-2023)In Committee

MAPSA Act

AI-Generated Summary

Updated February 7, 2026 at 10:11 PM UTC

The MAPSA Act amends the Social Security Act so that adults 18 or older with an intellectual or developmental disability keep their Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits even if they get married. It creates a new eligibility category for these individuals and says their spouse’s income and resources cannot be counted against them. The change applies to SSI recipients with such disabilities and ensures marriage does not reduce their benefit amount.

Key Provisions

Adds a new eligibility provision for adults 18+ with an intellectual or developmental disability whose income and resources meet SSI limits, regardless of marital status.
Specifies that the SSI benefit amount for these individuals is paid at the standard rate and is reduced only by the individual's own income, not by any spouse’s income.
States that for determining eligibility and benefit amounts, the income and resources of a spouse are ignored for qualifying individuals who are married.

Legislative Activity

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2 earlier actions

HouseIntro Referral Latest Action

Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

Ways and Means Committee

February 3, 2021

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

February 3, 2021

HouseCommittee

Referred to the Subcommittee on Social Security.

Social Security Subcommittee

February 3, 2021

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

Ways and Means Committee

February 3, 2021

Floor Debate

1 member

What members said about H.R. 761 on the floor

1 Democrat

Rep. John GaramendiD-CA-3 · Jan 10, 2022

Madam Speaker, today I introduce the ``Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument Expansion Act,'' with Congressman Mike Thompson (D-CA05) as the original cosponsor. Our legislation would expand the National Monument to include approximately 3,925 acres of federal land in Lake County, California; create new co-management opportunities with federally recognized tribes; and rename Walker Ridge to ``Molok Luyuk,'' meaning Condor Ridge in the Patwin language of Native Americans indigenous to the area. It is endorsed by the Lake County Board of Supervisors and the Tribal Council of the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation.

In the 114th Congress, I championed bicameral legislation (H.R. 761/ S. 393) to establish the Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument, with then-Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and Congressman Thompson. Our legislation would have included the Walker Ridge tract in Lake and Colusa Counties, California, administered by the federal Bureau of Land Management (BLM) within the National Monument's boundary.

In December 2014, Congressman Thompson and I hosted then-Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell at the Lake Berryessa reservoir, so she could view the landscape and hear from local community and tribal leaders about the need to permanently conserve this special place. Said Secretary Jewell at the time: ``This is a beautiful area with cultural history and great opportunities for outdoor recreation and wildlife viewing so it's no surprise that the community wants to make sure that it is protected and passed on to the next generation.'' In July 2015, President Obama issued Presidential Proclamation 9298, designating the federal land surrounding Lake Berryessa administered by the BLM and U.S. Forest Service as the Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument.

The ``Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument Expansion Act'' would expand the existing National Monument boundary to include the Lake County portion of Walker Ridge, which the legislation renames to Condor Ridge (Molok Luyuk). This ridgeline is an extinct volcanic mountain range with an unusual ``serpentine'' soil composition supporting a trove of rare and beautiful plant species like the adobe lily (Fritillaria pluriflora) found only in this part of northern California. Other at-risk and protected animal species such as the bald eagle, golden eagle, and tule elk also make their home there.

Our legislation would not affect privately owned, state, tribal, or non-federal land. The federal land parcel proposed for inclusion within the National Monument does not include acreage of the BLM's Walker Ridge tract in Colusa County. Our legislation would also ensure that federally recognized tribes--whose ancestors called the National Monument home for millennia--have a meaningful role in the land stewardship of the National Monument. Finally, our legislation would direct the BLM and the Forest Service to complete the management plan for the National Monument, which has remained unfinished since 2015.

Madam Speaker, I encourage all Members of the California delegation to join us in cosponsoring this legislation to permanently conserve this special place in Lake County. We must protect this unique landscape for future generations to enjoy and honor the Native American peoples who walked this land well before our country was even founded.

Bill Text

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Introduced in HouseIssued February 3, 2021

117th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 761

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

February 3, 2021

Mr. Katko (for himself and Mr. Keating) 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 the supplemental security income benefits of adults with intellectual or developmental disabilities shall not be reduced by reason of marriage.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Marriage Access for People with Special Abilities Act or the MAPSA Act.

Supplemental security income benefits

(a)

Eligibility for benefits

Section 1611(a) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1382(a)) is amended by adding at the end the following:

(4)

Notwithstanding paragraphs (1) and (2) of this subsection, each individual who has attained 18 years of age, who is diagnosed with an intellectual or developmental disability, whose income, other than income excluded pursuant to section 1612(b), is at not more than the rate in effect for purposes of paragraph (1)(A) of this subsection, and whose resources, other than resources excluded pursuant to section 1613(a), are not more than the applicable amount in effect for purposes of paragraph (3)(B) of this subsection, shall be an eligible individual for purposes of this title.

(b)

Amount of benefit

Section 1611(b) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1382(b)) is amended by adding at the end the following:

(3)

Notwithstanding paragraphs (1) and (2) of this subsection, the benefit under this title for an individual described in subsection (a)(4) of this section, whether or not the individual has an eligible spouse, shall be payable at the rate in effect for purposes of such paragraph (1), reduced by the amount of income, not excluded pursuant to section 1612(b), of the individual.

(c)

Income and resource deeming rules

Section 1614(f) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1382c(f)) is amended by adding at the end the following:

(5)

Notwithstanding paragraph (1) of this subsection, for purposes of determining eligibility for, and the amount of, benefits for an individual described in section 1611(a)(4) who is married, the income and resources of the individual is deemed to not include any income or resources of the spouse.