From DC: SSI Restoration Act Introduced, HUD Work Requirement Rule Proposed,Medicaid Advocacy Alert, and more

March 6, 2026

From DC is Justice in Aging's weekly roundup of national news and resources about issues impacting older adults. To receive From DC in your inbox as soon as its published, sign up for our mailing list.

Here’s what we’re watching in Washington:

Bipartisan SSI Restoration Act Introduced in Congress

Representative Adelita Grijalva (D-Ariz.), alongside U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.), and Rep. James Moylan (R-GU), led 30 lawmakers in introducing the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Restoration Act, a bipartisan bill to strengthen critical SSI benefits that support over 7 million seniors and Americans with disabilities.

The bill would update SSI’s asset and income limits and increase the SSI benefit rate to 100% of the Federal Poverty Level. Additionally, it would expand SSI to cover American citizens living in Puerto Rico, Guam, and other U.S. Territories, who are currently excluded from the program.

A new Roosevelt Institute report found that implementing the provisions of the SSI Restoration Act would reduce poverty among SSI recipients by 60%.

Justice in Aging has advocated for and endorsed the SSI Restoration Act. Read about our work to update and improve the SSI program.

HUD Releases Proposed Rule on Work Requirements and Time Limits

This week, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) published a proposed rule that would allow Public Housing Authorities (PHAs) and HUD-assisted owners to impose work requirements and time limits for HUD housing assistance.

Under HUD’s proposal, PHAs and owners would be able to impose work requirements of up to 40 hours per week and time limits as short as two years. Older adults age 62 and over and people with disabilities would generally be exempt from these restrictions.

Regardless of exemptions, HUD’s proposal would take away housing assistance from older adults and people with disabilities. Older adults age 50-61 would be subject to work requirements and time limits, and older and disabled people who may be exempt would still lose assistance due to administrative barriers and red tape.

Learn about how HUD’s proposal will worsen housing instability in this factsheet produced in collaboration with some of our housing partners. Justice in Aging will also share more resources on HUD’s proposed rule in the coming weeks.

Comments on the proposed rule are due May 1, 2026.

Take Action to Oppose CMS and Congressional Actions that Undermine Medicaid

Over the last several weeks, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) has taken actions to undermine and cut Medicaid programs, particularly home- and community-based services (HCBS). These actions include misleadingly claiming that increased spending on HCBS indicates program integrity issues and withholding $259 million in Medicaid funding from Minnesota.

Now, Republican Leaders in Congress are doubling down on these disingenuous claims and investigations, trying to distract and shift blame for the massive Medicaid cuts enacted last year as part of the budget reconciliation act (H.R. 1). As our new blog explains, lawmakers knew all along their vote to cut Medicaid would harm older adults and people with disabilities.

Justice in Aging urges advocates to join the fight to protect Medicaid HCBS in Congress and state capitals:

Sign your organization on to this letter urging Congress to protect home and community-based services (HCBS).
Attend our Protect Medicaid: State Revenue for Advocates webinar with the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities next week to learn how to engage in your state.

Use our Medicaid defense resources to take action.

Justice in Aging and Partners Urge Congress to Consider Harm to Older Adults Stemming from Aggressive Immigration Enforcement

Last week, Justice in Aging, along with 110 aging and allied organizations, sent a letter to Congress urging them to consider the harms of the administration’s aggressive immigration policies on older adults as it negotiates appropriations to the Department of Homeland Security. In the last year, older adults and people with disabilities have been harmed by the administration’s aggressive approach to immigration enforcement.

The massive new funding Congress approved last summer through H.R. 1 continues to fuel violence and inhumane detention conditions by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP), while stoking fear that prevents many older adults from accessing health care and social services that support their basic needs.

Our letter urges Congress to enact safeguards in immigration enforcement; codify the sensitive locations policy; repeal immigration enforcement funding provisions; restore access to Medicare, Medicaid, ACA tax credits, and SNAP to lawfully present immigrants; and add meaningful measures that rein in federal agents.

Read our letter, and see our webinars on recent issues impacting older immigrants.