Congress Considering Cutting SSI For Children

Congress is looking at cutting Supplemental Security Income for children. It must not, as Special Olympics Chairman and CEO argues:

SI is not glamorous. But it is necessary. It’s a critical lifeline for children with severe disabilities and their families. What’s at stake in cutting it is nothing less than our core values — not to mention our nation’s commitment to providing a full quality of life to those who face the most significant challenges.

Consider Sarah, a young girl born with a rare brain disorder, lobar holoprosencephaly. This is painful and tough. It has hindered her physical and cognitive development. Sarah requires near-constant medical care, frequent trips to an array of specialists and dedicated educational support in and out of school.

Sarah’s mother, Irene, has a full-time job. But she’s not making enough to cover the additional expenses brought on by Sarah’s condition. Yet Irene is able to raise her daughter at home because we’re a country that believes in the dignity of every child…

Without the support from SSI, Sarah would likely be institutionalized, raising the specter of haunting isolation and lifelong humiliation. Or maybe Irene would resist that painful option and try to keep her daughter at home while likely bankrupting her family.

By: Alan

Alan Colmes is the publisher of Liberaland.