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

AI-Generated Summary

Updated April 21, 2026 at 6:11 AM UTC

The SSI Savings and Efficiency Act of 2026 changes the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program by removing in‑kind support and maintenance—such as food, shelter, or other non‑cash assistance—from the income calculations used to determine eligibility and benefit amounts. This means that SSI recipients will not have these non‑cash benefits counted against them, potentially increasing their SSI payments. The amendment also updates related provisions, including rules for certain non‑citizen residents, and takes effect one year after the law is enacted.

Key Provisions

Amends Section 1612(a)(2) of the Social Security Act to specifically exclude “support or maintenance furnished in kind” from the definition of income for SSI purposes.
Makes conforming changes to Sections 1611(c), 1612(a)(2) and 1621(c) to align the rest of the statute with the new exclusion.
Adds a provision for aliens that cash support from a sponsor, if already counted as income, will not be treated as additional income under SSI rules.
Sets the effective date of all amendments to be one year after the law’s enactment.

Legislative Activity

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1 earlier action

HouseIntro Referral Latest Action

Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

Ways and Means Committee

April 15, 2026

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

April 15, 2026

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

Ways and Means Committee

April 15, 2026

Bill Text

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Introduced in HouseIssued April 15, 2026

I

119th CONGRESS

2d Session

H. R. 8298

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

April 15, 2026

Ms. Davids of Kansas (for herself and Ms. Scanlon) 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 exclude in-kind support and maintenance from income for the purposes of the Supplemental Security Income program, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the SSI Savings and Efficiency Act of 2026.

2.

Support and maintenance furnished in kind not included as income

(a)

In general

Section 1612(a)(2) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1382a(a)(2)) is amended—

(1)

by inserting (other than support or maintenance furnished in kind) after all other income; and

(2)

in subparagraph (A)—

(A)

by striking or kind;

(B)

by striking clause (i) and redesignating clauses (ii) and (iii) as clauses (i) and (ii), respectively; and

(C)

in clause (ii) (as so redesignated), by striking and the provisions of clause (i) shall not be applicable.

(b)

Conforming amendments

(1)

Section 1611(c) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1382(c)) is amended by striking paragraph (6) and redesignating paragraphs (7) through (10) as paragraphs (6) through (9), respectively.

(2)

Section 1612(a)(2) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1382a(a)(2)) is amended—

(A)

in subparagraph (F), by inserting and at the end;

(B)

in subparagraph (G), by striking ; and and inserting a period;

(C)

by moving subparagraph (G) 2 ems to the right; and

(D)

by striking subparagraph (H).

(3)

Section 1621(c) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1382j(c)) is amended to read as follows:

(c)

In determining the amount of income of an alien during the period of 3 years after such alien’s entry into the United States, support or maintenance furnished in cash to the alien by such alien’s sponsor (to the extent that it reflects income or resources which were taken into account in determining the amount of income and resources to be deemed to the alien under subsection (a) or (b) of this section) shall not be considered to be income of such alien under section 1612(a)(2)(A).

.

3.

Effective date

The amendments made by this Act shall take effect on the date that is 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act.