I have several charts to be printed in the RECORD. and I compliment my friend and colleague from New Mexico for his leadership. I mentioned food stamps. and I will mention SSI. the growth rates in SSI. In 1980. SSI cost the taxpayers 36 billion: in 1996. it costs $24 billion. four times as much. This program is exploding. The growth rates in SSI for the last 5 years are 10 percent. 14 percent. 21 percent. 18 percent. and 20 percent. The program has exploded in many. many cases because noncitizens have said this is a good way to get on a gravy train. We need to close that abuse. We do that under this bill.
Identified stereotypes
Noncitizens use SSI as a 'gravy train'.