7/21/2022 12:00 p.m. 

Senator Ron Wyden, partnering with two other democratic senators, sent a letter to the Social Security Administration Wednesday urging the incorporation of children into ongoing outreach efforts.

Senator Wyden, along with Senator Sherrod Brown, of Ohio, and Senator Bob Casey, from Pennsylvania, said the move will help families that have children living with disabilities to be eligible for Supplemental Security Income.

In the letter, sent to the administration’s Acting Commissioner Dr. Kilolo Kiiakazi the senators said, “We share President Biden and SSA’s priority to advance equity throughout the Federal Government, particularly among underserved communities, by removing barriers and increasing access to federal programs and services.”

 The senators said they appreciate the agency’s recent efforts to expand outreach to vulnerable populations, however there currently isn’t a program to help support children with disabilities.

According to a release from Senator Wyden, more than 11 million children in the United States live in poverty, totaling 16% percent of all the children in the country.

Additionally, Wyden said, 6.5% of children living in poverty have a disability, compared with 3.8% of children living above the Federal poverty line.

The senators said that SSI benefits, while modest, can have a substantial impact in the lives of these families.

See the full text of the letter here.