Speech #1040112696

However. those are only anecdotal evidence. and we should not use them as an excuse for carrying out some wholesale purge of children from the SSI rolls. We should make sure the lowincome families who have children with severe disabilities are taken care of. especially if one or both parents must stay at home to care for this very troublesome and disabled childand often they are similar and often a tremendous burden upon a parent in a time of stress. With regard to immigration. we will deal with that in a large area of the immigration subcommittee. which I chair. But I think it is very important to note here that since our earliest days as a nation. we have required new immigrants to be selfsupporting. In the year 1645and I see my colleague from New York pique his interest. because he loves historyMassachusetts refused to admit prospective immigrants with no means of support other than public assistance. But Americas first general immigration lawthe big one. before the big influx in the early 1900swas passed in 1882. In 1882. it prohibited the admission of "any person unable to take care of himself or herself without first becoming a public charge." This restriction still exists. Section 212 of the Immigration and Nationality Act excludes those who are "likely at any time" to become a public charge. Courts have come along and interpreted that in a way which made it absolutely senseless. But that is the law. I think our Nations welfare law should be consistent with Americas historic immigration policy. This bill. in conjunction with immigration proposals under consideration within the subcommittee. will create a long absent commonality. Many immigrantshalf of the new immigrants in fiscal year 1994. according to the State Departmentare permitted to enter only because a friend or relative in the United States has promised. that is sponsored. and said to the U.S. Government that the newcomer will not require public assistance. Should this new immigrant then fall on hard times. it is the responsibility of the sponsorthat friend or relative who promised the supportto provide the aid. This Dole bill will require all Federal welfare programssave a few "public interest" programs--to include the income of this sponsor when determining a recent immigrants eligibility for welfare. The message in this area with regard to welfare is very clear: America is serious about our traditional expectation that immigrants be selfsupporting. Newcomers should turn to the friends and relatives who sponsored them for assistance before seeking aid from the American taxpayer. Hear that clearly. Immigrants who come here and are sponsored must be selfsupporting. They will not turn to the taxpayers first. they will turn to their sponsor first. I look forward to a healthy debate on all these issues.