Speech #960239419

On the same basis. the assets of the sponsor and his spouse would be determined as under SSI. Any resources in excess of this amount allowable under SSI ($1.500 if the sponsor is single. $2.250 for a couple) would be considered to be resources of the alien in addition to whatever resources the alien has in his own right. Under the conference agreement. an alien applying for SSI would be required to make available to the Social Security Administration any documentation concerning his income or resources or those of his sponsor (if he has one) which he provided in support of his immigration application. The Secretary of Health. and Human Services would also be authorized to obtain copies of any such documentation from other agencies (i.e.. State Department on Immigration and Naturalization Service). The Secretary of HHS would also be required to enter into cooperative arrangements with the State Department and the Justice Department to assure that persons sponsoring the immigration of aliens are informed at the time of sponsorship that. if the alien applies for public assistance. the sponsorship affidavit will be made available to the public assistance agency and the sponsor may be required to provide further information concerning his income and assets in connection with the aliens application for assistance. SSI demonstration projects.-Under the conference agreement. the Secretary of -H1S would be authorized to waive the requirements of the SSI program to permit demonstration projects aimed at Improving the program. With respect to such SSI experiments. the Secretary would not be authorized to carry out any project that would result in a substantial reduction in any individuals total income and resources as a result of his participation in the project.