Speech #960190993

Mr. President. the amendment I have cosponsored with Senator PERCY will complete action taken by the Finance Committee to close a loophole in the supplemental security income program which costs Federal taxpayers some $70 million annually in SSIrelated payments to newly arrived immigrants. The Immigration and Nationality Act requires as a condition of entry for certain categories of aliens that they have a sponsor. often a close relative or friend. who is a citizen or permanent resident of the United States. This sponsor promises. as a condition of granting an entry visa to the immigrant. that the new immigrant will not become a public charge. Under the Immigration and Nationality Act. an immigrant who becomes a public charge within 5 years of entry is subject to deportation. The Social Security Act. however. permits a new immigrant to apply for and receive supplemental security income (SSI) benefits 30 days after arrival on American shores. To round out the loophole. the courtspartly in response to the harsh deportation penalty provided in the immigra-. tion statutehave ruled that receipt of SSI benefits does not constitute becoming a public charge and. furthermore. that the sponsors promise of support is nothing but a "moral obligation." As a result. the sponsor by disavowing his support agreement can shift responsibility for financial support of the immigrant to the taxpayers. In effect. the immigrant gets an "instant pension." This situation is an affront to taxpayers. Nor is the situation fair to conscientious sponsors who live up to the letter and spirit of their promises of support. And. it is certainly unfair to all immigrants who have worked hard to support themselves and their families as substantial contributing members of communities in every State. In fact. columnist Guy Wright of the San Francisco Examiner writes thatSome of my bitterest mail on this subject has been from readers who came to this country as immigrants and resent being ripped off. The amendment Senator PERCY and I are offering to the committee bill assures that those immigrants sponsored by individuals who are financially able will in fact be supported by their welltodo sponsors. The amendment also assuresand has been modified to spell out that assurancethat no one who is truly needy and has been abandoned by his or her sponsor will go without assistance. Instead. the Government will pursue the defaulting sponsor while the immigrant receives necessary assistance. The bottom line is the needy immigrant will receive SSI assistance regardless. But the financially able sponsor will not be able to hand off his obligation to his neighbors. And all sponsors of new immigrants in the future will understand clearly the Import of the promise of support. I urge Senate approval of this sensible and humane approach to a volatile problem.