House Approves Measure Continuing SSI for "Not Qualified" Immigrants; Senate Action Pending

IMMIGRANTS & PUBLIC BENEFITS

E-Mail Benefits Update

HOUSE APPROVES MEASURE CONTINUING SSI FOR "NOT QUALIFIED" IMMIGRANTS; SENATE ACTION PENDING
No. 98-16, September 24, 1998

Last evening, the U.S. House of Representatives passed by voice vote, H.R. 4558, the bill that would restore Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Medicaid eligibility to elderly and disabled "not qualified" immigrants who will otherwise lose benefits on September 30, 1998.

The text of H.R. 4558, the "Noncitizen Benefit Clarification and Other Technical Amendments Act of 1998," is available online. The version of H.R. 4558 that was attached to NILC Benefits Update 98-14 (9/15/98) has been slightly amended, but the amendments did not affect the SSI "grandfather" provision. As we reported in that Update, passage of H.R. 4558 would restore SSI eligibility to all immigrants who were receiving assistance when the welfare law was enacted on August 22, 1996.

It is now up to the U.S. Senate, where support from the Finance Committee is key, to move the legislation forward for the President's signature. Last week Social Security Commissioner Kenneth Apfel assured Congress that "(t)he Clinton Administration supports the effort to preserve SSI and Medicaid eligibility for these hardship cases." With only a few weeks left before a very preoccupied Congress adjourns, advocates are hopeful that the Senate will act quickly and favorably to preserve benefits for this vulnerable group.