Rep. Lois Capps, D-Santa Barbara, announced on Tuesday that Social Security recipients, disabled veterans receiving benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs, Supplemental Security Income (SSI) recipients, and Railroad Retirement beneficiaries will soon begin receiving a one-time payment of $250.

It is estimated that these payments will inject more than $13 billion into the economy. The funding is being made available as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, which Congress passed with Capps’ support in February. This payment is designed to reach individuals who are not likely to benefit from the Making Work Pay tax credit, which began providing 95 percent of American workers with a $400 to $800 tax cut beginning in April.

“Once again the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act is providing help to families and communities throughout the Central and South Coasts,” Capps said. “Last month the Making Work Pay tax cut put more money in the pockets of 95 percent of working individuals and families. This one-time payment to some of the most vulnerable members of our society — seniors, SSI recipients and disabled veterans — will provide relief to those who don’t qualify for the Marking Work Pay tax cut and pump more money into our local economy. This is just one of several important tax cuts and benefits enacted in the economy recovery legislation and another part of our plan to get the economy back on track.”

The $250 payments going to people who receive Social Security and SSI benefits will begin to go out in early May and continue throughout the month. Individuals getting Social Security and SSI should not contact the Social Security agency unless a payment is not received by June 4. The payments for disabled veterans and for Railroad Retirement beneficiaries will also hopefully go out in the next couple of months. Click here for more information.

— Emily Kryder is communications director for Rep. Lois Capps, D-Santa Barbara.