A review of Social Security and Supplemental Security Income from a federal budget perspective

This thesis examines Supplemental Security Income (SSI) starting from its inception in 1972, and identifies and evaluates the major changes that have transformed it through its short lifetime. SSI originated in the Social Security Act of 1935, and was later enhanced by the Social Security Act Amendments of 1950. As one of the multitude of entitlement programs constituting the mandatory spending category of the federal budget, 551 plays an important role in the lives of many individuals. Of specific interest are the changes brought about by the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA) of 1996 and the Balanced Budget Act (BBA) of 1997. A focused review of pertinent literature, Social Security and SSI legislation, and an analysis of the effects of welfare reform illustrate how after federalization in 1972, SSI experienced rapid growth throughout the decades of the 1980s and l990s. In particular, 551 experienced a significant increase in growth from 1985 to 1990, which appeared to have been contained by the PRWORA of 1996. However, the BBA of 1997 allowed SSI to quickly resume its historical pattern of growth.

Department dc:contributor.department

Management

Year dc:date.issued

2001

Author dc:creator

• Prevo, Brian T.

Advisors dc:contributor.advisor

• Doyle, Richard B.
• Barrett, Frank J.

Statement dc:rights

• This publication is a work of the U.S. Government as defined in Title 17, United States Code, Section 101. Copyright protection is not available for this work in the United States.

Handle dc:identifier.uri

https://hdl.handle.net/10945/10818

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:calhoun.nps.edu:10945/10818