,,ii #aaeth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 #bfec ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,april #ab1 #bjah ,mr4 ,wyden 7for himself1 ,mr4 ,brown1 and ,mr4 ,casey7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,finance ,a ,,bill ,to create a poverty relief benefit under title ,,ii of the ,social ,security ,act for eligible individuals4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,elder ,poverty ,relief ,act4 #b4 ,poverty relief benefit 7a7 ,in general ,title ,,ii of the ,social ,security ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #bja et seq47 is amended by adding at the end the following new section3 #bce4 ,poverty relief benefit 7a7 ,subject to subsection 7d71 any eligible individual shall be entitled to a poverty relief benefit that shall be-- 7#a7 in addition to any other amounts to which the individual is entitled under this title2 7#b7 certified and paid monthly in such manner as the ,commissioner of ,social ,security 7referred to in this section as the ,commissioner7 considers appropriate2 and 7#c7 equal to the monthly benefit amount determined under subsection 7b74 7b7 7#a7 ,subject to paragraph 7#d71 the monthly benefit amount determined under this subsection for any calendar year shall be a dollar amount equal to #a_/abth of #b percent of the national average wage index for the year 7as defined in section #bji7k77#a774 7#b7 ,if the monthly benefit amount determined under paragraph 7#a7 is not a whole dollar1 such amount shall be rounded down to the next lower whole dollar4 7#c7 ,the ,commissioner shall determine the monthly benefit amount under this subsection for each calendar year not later than ,october #a of the preceding calendar year1 based on the most recent data that is available4 7#d7 ,if the monthly benefit amount determined for a calendar year under paragraph 7#a7 is less than the monthly benefit amount determined for any previous calendar year1 the highest monthly benefit amount determined for a previous year shall be the monthly benefit amount for the calendar year involved4 7#e7 ,for purposes of a monthly benefit amount payable to an eligible individual pursuant to this section1 such amount shall be payable for each month during the #ab-month period from the month of ,december of the applicable calendar year under such subsection through the month of ,november of the subsequent calendar year4 7c7 7#a7 ,for purposes of this section1 the term eligible individual means any of the following3 7,a7 ,an individual who-- 7i7 is entitled to a monthly benefit under subsections 7a7 through 7h7 of section #bjb or section #bbc7;a72 and 7ii7 attains #hb years of age or #bdj benefit months 7as defined in paragraph 7#c77 on the basis of the wages and self-employment income of #a individual1 whichever is earlier4 7,b7 ,an individual who-- 7i7 is eligible for supplemental security income benefits under title ,,xvi2 and 7ii7 attains retirement age 7as defined in section #baf7l77 or #bdj benefit months 7as defined in paragraph 7#c771 whichever is earlier4 7,c7 ,an individual who-- 7i7 is entitled to a monthly benefit under subsections 7a7 through 7h7 of section #bjb2 7ii7 attains retirement age 7as defined in section #baf7l772 7iii7 has average indexed monthly earnings which do not exceed the amount specified in subparagraph 7,b7 of section #bae7;a77#a7 for the purposes of clause 7i7 of subparagraph 7,a7 of such section #bae7;a72 and 7iv7 has not less than #aa years of coverage 7as defined for purposes of section #bae7;a77#g77;,d774 7#b7 7,a7 ,an individual's entitlement to a poverty relief benefit under this section shall be suspended if1 during any month1 the individual ceases to be an eligible individual4 7,b7 ,in the case of an individual described in subparagraph 7,a7 who subsequently satisfies the requirements under paragraph 7#a71 such individual shall be reentitled to a poverty relief benefit under this section4 7#c7 7,a7 ,subject to subparagraphs 7,b7 and 7,c71 for purposes of this subsection1 the term benefit month means a month for which an individual has-- 7i7 attained age #ai2 and 7ii7 been-- 7,i7 entitled to a monthly benefit under subsections 7a7 through 7h7 of section #bjb or section #bbc7;a72 or 7,,ii7 eligible for supplemental security income benefits under title ,,xvi4 7,b7 ,the term benefit month shall not include any month in which an individual is-- 7i7 entitled to a benefit under section #bjb that is not payable or reduced to zero by application of subsection 7k71 7n71 7t71 7u71 7v71 or 7x7 of such section and is not eligible for a benefit under title ,,xvi 7or is eligible for a benefit under such title but the benefit is not payable or reduced to zero72 7ii7 eligible for a benefit under title ,,xvi that is not payable or reduced to zero and is not entitled to a benefit under sections #bjb or #bbc 7or is entitled to a benefit under such section #bjb but the benefit is not payable or reduced to zero72 or 7iii7 subject to a penalty under section #aabi;,a4 7,c7 ,in the case of an individual who is entitled to a monthly insurance benefit described in subclause 7,i7 of subparagraph 7,a77ii7 on the basis of the wages and self-employment income of more than #a individual1 a benefit month shall be determined based on the wages and self-employment income that are the basis of the largest benefit to which such individual is entitled for such month4 7d7 7#a7 ,in no case shall an eligible individual be entitled to more than #a poverty relief benefit under this section for any month4 7#b7 ,for any month in which an eligible individual is entitled to a monthly benefit described in subsection 7c77#a77;,a77i7 on the basis of the wages and self-employment income of more than #a individual1 a poverty relief benefit under this section may only be paid for such month on the basis of the wages and self-employment that are the basis for the largest monthly benefit to which such individual is entitled for such month4 7#c7 ,any amounts provided to an eligible individual pursuant to this section shall not be regarded as income or earnings for purposes of determining the eligibility of the recipient for benefits or assistance1 or the amount or extent of benefits or assistance1 under any ,federal program or under any ,state or local program financed in whole or in part with ,federal funds1 or the eligibility for or extent of benefits or assistance under such programs of any individual for whom the income of the recipient is counted4 4 7b7 ,railroad ,retirement ,act ,section #ai of the ,railroad ,retirement ,act of #aigd 7#de ,u4,s4,c4 #bcar7 is amended-- 7#a7 by redesignating subsection 7d7 as subsection 7e72 7#b7 by inserting after subsection 7c7 the following new subsection3 7d7 7#a7 ,an individual entitled to an annuity component computed under section #c7;a77#a71 #d7;a77#a71 or #d7;f77#a7 of this ,act shall be entitled to the benefit described in section #bce of the ,social ,security ,act1 subject to the requirements and conditions set forth therein4 2 and 7#c7 in subsection 7e71 as so redesignated1 by striking subsection 7a71 7b71 or 7c7 each place it appears and inserting subsection 7a71 7b71 7c71 or 7d74 7c7 ,source of funds ,subsection 7h7 of section #bja of the ,social ,security ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #dja7 is amended to read as follows3 7h7 7#a7 ,benefit payments required to be made under section #bbc1 and benefit payments required to be made under subsection 7b71 7c71 or 7d7 of section #bjb to individuals entitled to benefits on the basis of the wages and self-employment income of an individual entitled to disability insurance benefits1 shall be made only from the ,federal ,disability ,insurance ,trust ,fund4 ,all other benefit payments required to be made under this title 7other than sections #bbf and #bce7 shall be made only from the ,federal ,old-,age and ,survivors ,insurance ,trust ,fund4 7#b7 ,any benefit payment required to made under section #bce to an individual entitled to a poverty relief benefit under such section shall be made-- 7,a7 in the case of an individual who is also entitled to a benefit under section #bjb or #bbc1 from the same trust fund from which the individual's benefit under section #bjb or #bbc is made2 and 7,b7 in the case of an individual who is not entitled to a benefit under section #bjb or #bbc1 from funds appropriated for such purpose pursuant to the authorization of appropriations in section #afja4 4 7d7 ,authorization of appropriations ,section #afja of the ,social ,security ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #acha7 is amended by striking there are authorized and all that follows through the period and inserting the following3 and to make poverty relief benefit payments under section #bce to individuals who are described in section #bja7;h77#b77;,b71 there are authorized to be appropriated sums sufficient to carry out this title and make such payments44 7e7 ,effective date ,the amendments made by this section shall apply to benefits payable for months beginning after ,november #bjah4