The TAMRA of 1988 amended title II of the Social Security Act to exclude income from
exercising fishing rights by a member of an Indian tribe from the definitions of wages
and self-employment income (thus removing the income from Social Security coverage
and the retirement earnings test). In doing so, TAMRA had the effect of removing Indian
fishing rights income from the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) definition of earned
income, making it treatable as unearned income.
NOTE: Because TAMRA adversely affects SSI applicants and recipients, SSA introduced legislation
to treat fishing rights income as earned income for SSI purposes. However, SSA withdrew
the legislative proposal at the request of the Bureau of Indian Affairs.