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HR 6640 118th Congress House Social Welfare Disability and health-based discrimination Disability and paralysis Disability assistance Family relationships Marriage and family status Medicaid Poverty and welfare assistance Social security and elderly assistance Tax administration and collection, taxpayers

Marriage Equality for Disabled Adults Act

Introduced: November 1, 2024 Introduced by: Panetta, Jimmy Democratic · California See on congress.gov
This bill died when the 118th Congress ended
It never became law before the 118th Congress (2023–2024) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 5 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Dec 17, 2024
Referred to the Subcommittee on Work and Welfare.
Dec 17, 2024
Referred to the Subcommittee on Social Security.
Dec 8, 2023
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
Dec 6, 2023
Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Dec 6, 2023
Introduced in House
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 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Marriage Equality for Disabled Adults Act

This bill eliminates certain marriage-related criteria for individuals entitled to Social Security child’s benefits and Supplemental Security Income (SSI).

Specifically, the bill removes the requirement that individuals receiving Social Security child’s benefits be unmarried. Those eligible for Social Security child’s benefits generally include the minor children of eligible or deceased workers and disabled adult children (the disabled adult children of such workers for whom the onset of disability occurred before age 22). Under current law, child beneficiaries generally lose their benefits upon marriage to an individual who is not also eligible for Social Security benefits. 

With respect to SSI, the bill removes the requirement that couples who present themselves as married in their community be considered married for purposes of SSI eligibility. The bill also exempts SSI recipients who are disabled adult children, or who marry disabled adult children, from the general requirement that the income or resources of an SSI recipient’s spouse be considered in an eligibility determination.  

Further, married disabled adult children and their spouses who would otherwise be eligible for Medicaid in a state if they were unmarried must remain eligible for Medicaid regardless of their marriage. 

What's happening now December 17, 2024

Referred to the Subcommittee on Work and Welfare.

 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 5
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APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 6640: Marriage Equality for Disabled Adults Act. 118th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/118-HR-6640/
MLA
"H.R. 6640: Marriage Equality for Disabled Adults Act." 118th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/118-HR-6640/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 6640, 118th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/118-HR-6640/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 6640: Marriage Equality for Disabled Adults Act](https://openamerica.io/bill/118-HR-6640/)
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