I
119THCONGRESS
1
STSESSION H. R. 1175
To amend title II of the Social Security Act to require the Commissioner
of Social Security to carry out a demonstration project relating to dis-
ability benefits of blind individuals.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
FEBRUARY10, 2025
Mr. S
ESSIONS(for himself, Mr. MFUME, Mr. FIELDS, and Mr. VALADAO) in-
troduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Ways
and Means
A BILL
To amend title II of the Social Security Act to require
the Commissioner of Social Security to carry out a dem-
onstration project relating to disability benefits of blind
individuals.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-1
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Blind Americans Re-4
turn to Work Act of 2025’’. 5
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SEC. 2. DEMONSTRATION PROJECT FOR BLIND AMERI-1
CANS. 2
Title II of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 401 3
et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following: 4
‘‘SEC. 235. DEMONSTRATION PROJECT FOR BLIND AMERI-5
CANS. 6
‘‘(a) I
NGENERAL.—For a 20-year period beginning 7
not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of 8
this section, the Commissioner shall carry out the dem-9
onstration project described in subsection (b). 10
‘‘(b) B
ENEFITOFFSET.— 11
‘‘(1) I
N GENERAL.—The demonstration project 12
described in this subsection is a project under which 13
benefits under section 223 are modified pursuant to 14
paragraph (2) for individuals— 15
‘‘(A) who are entitled to a benefit under 16
223(a)(1) for a month during the 120-month 17
period beginning with the first month of the 20- 18
year period described in subsection (a); and 19
‘‘(B) whose disability is by reason of blind-20
ness (as defined in section 216(i)(1)). 21
‘‘(2) M
ODIFICATION.—For purposes of para-22
graph (1), the benefit under section 223 of an indi-23
vidual described in paragraph (1) is modified as fol-24
lows: 25
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‘‘(A) In determining eligibility for such 1
benefit, a determination of whether the indi-2
vidual is disabled under section 223(d)(1)(B) 3
shall be made without respect to substantial 4
gainful activity. 5
‘‘(B) Any benefit payable to the individual 6
for a month (other than a benefit payable for 7
any month prior to the first month beginning 8
after the date on which the individual’s entitle-9
ment to such benefit is determined) shall be re-10
duced, except such benefit may not be reduced 11
below $0, by $1 for every $2 by which the indi-12
vidual’s earnings derived from services paid 13
during such month exceeds the sum of— 14
‘‘(i) the exempt amount described in 15
section 223(d)(4)(A); and 16
‘‘(ii) an amount equal to the individ-17
ual’s expenses reasonably attributable to 18
the earning of any income for such month. 19
‘‘(C) Entitlement to any such benefit shall 20
not terminate due to earnings derived from 21
services. 22
‘‘(D) The period of trial work described in 23
section 222(c) shall not apply. 24
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‘‘(E) The provisions related to the termi-1
nation month in subsection (a)(1) of section 2
223 shall not apply. 3
‘‘(c) A
UTHORITYTOWAIVECOMPLIANCEWITHCER-4
TAINREQUIREMENTS.—In carrying out the demonstra-5
tion project under this section, the Commissioner may 6
waive compliance with the benefit requirements of this 7
title and the requirements of section 1148 as they relate 8
to the programs established under this title, insofar as 9
necessary to carry out the demonstration project. 10
‘‘(d) O
PTOUT.—After the 120-month period de-11
scribed in subsection (b)(1)(A), an individual described in 12
such subsection may opt out of the demonstration 13
project.’’. 14
Æ
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