WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Ike Skelton (D-MO) announced that the Social Security Administration (SSA) will send $250 payments to Social Security recipients.  The SSA will begin to release the payments on May 7, 2009, and anticipates having all payments sent by May 31, 2009.  Funding for the $250 payments was made available through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. 
 
          “These $250 payments can make a real difference in the lives of Missourians who rely on Social Security, many of whom have been hit especially hard by the economic crisis that has swept the country,” said Skelton.  “The additional Social Security funds are a critical piece to the economic recovery package passed by Congress.  This is exactly why it was important for Congress to pass the recovery bill – to help millions of Americans meet some of their basic needs and inject money directly into the struggling economy.”

          The $250 payment will be sent to recipients separately from their monthly Social Security payment.  The Social Security Administration will deliver the $250 payment by check to those recipients who receive their Social Security benefit by check and by direct deposit for those recipients who receive their Social Security benefit by direct deposit. 

          Under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the $250 payment will also go to Supplemental Security Income (SSI) recipients, Railroad Retirement recipients, and disabled veterans.  The payments are scheduled to begin going out to SSI recipients in mid-May, to Railroad Retirement recipients in late May, and to disabled veterans in June.

          If someone regularly receives benefits from two or more of these programs, they will receive just one $250 payment.

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Congressman Ike Skelton (D-MO) serves as Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee . For further information, please contact Rebecca Loving or Jason Rauch at 202-225-2876, or check Congressman Skelton’s website at http://www.house.gov/skelton.