Speech #1050008896

Mr. President. last year we approved the most comprehensive welfare reform this Nation has ever known. Because the changes were so comprehensive. this body approved the bill with much reservation. particularly on the provision for the elderly and disabled legal immigrants. Today. I correct one of thu major challenges loft over from the welfare reform last year that if uncorrected. will have a devastating Impact on the States and counties by shifting the cost of caring for the seriously III and destitute disabled and elderly legal immigrants who have absolutely no other means of support. I am here to offer the Elderly and Disabled Legal Immigrant Support Act with Senator BoXER as the cosponsor in the Senate. and Congressman CAMPBELL and Congresswoman LOFGREN as sponsors in the House of Representatives. The Elderly and Disabled Legal Immigrant Support Act of 1997 would exempt from the current ban on SSI. those elderly. disabled and/or blind legal immigrants. who came to this country prior to passage of the welfare hillAugust 22. 1996. who can demonstrate that they have no family and have no other source of support. This legislation prohibits SSI for all legal immigrants coming to this country following the date of enactment of the welfare reform bill. August 22. 1996. This legislation corrects what I believe is a grave mistake In the Federal welfare reform lawa blanket denial of SSI to all legal noncitizuns. no matter how elderly. disabled. destitute and ill they may be. Over 20 California county supervisors. both Republican and Democrat. have spoken out. in one voice. that the legal immigrant provisions of the welfare law will be disastrous for California counties and this legislation is critical for the Counties and for the country. In California alone. 200.000 to 326.000 people may lose SSI by August 22.1997. Los Angeles County estimates that eliminating benefits for 93.000 legal immigrants in its county could cost tip to S236 million a year. San Francisco estimates that 20.000 legal noncitizens may turn to the countys general assistance program. at a total cost of up to $74 million. Many top immigrant States and counties will also bear the burden of caring for the elderly. disabled. and blind legal Immigrants who are banned from SST. New York126.860 legal immigrants may lose their SSI. costing the State approximately $240 million annually. Florida77920 legal immigrants may lose their SSI. costing the State approximately $300 million annually. Texas59.160 legal immigrants may lose their SS1. illinols25.960 legal Immigrants may lose their SSI. New Jersey25.500 legal immigrants may lose their SSI. Massachusetts--25.140 legal Immigrants may lose their SI. The Republican Governors who supported the welfare reform bill now realize that the new law. as written. will result In a huge financial costshift to their states. President Clinton has also recognized that legal immigrants who become disabled after entry should not be banned from SSI and food stamps and has allocated 313.7 billion In the 1990 budget for this population who have nowhere else to turn. As we speak. 125.000 SSI cancellation notices are going out to elderly. disabled. and blind legal immigrants every week. Many elderly and disabled legal Immigrants have absolutely no family or friends to turn to for support and will be destitute. They have no one to turn to. except county relief programs or. at worst. homeless shelters. Effective August 22 of this year. all legal Immigrants currently receiving SS1 will be out from the rolls regardless of their circumstances. I know that prior to welfare reform. the door was open for sponsors to bring in their parents and then neglect to support them or. If they are unable to support them. to know that legal Immigrants were eligible for SSI. The number of noncitizens collecting SSI had increased by 477 percent in the 14 years from 1980 to 1994. while for citizens the numbers increased by 33 percent during the same period. Clearly. one can extrapolate from these statistics that legal Immigrants were using SSI at 15 times the rate of citizens. 1 hold the sponsors accountable for the support of legal Immigrants they bring into the country who they have pledged to support. But the Federal welfare reform banning SSI for virtually all legal immigrants--even those whose sponsors cannot afford to support them. or those refugees who have no sponsors at allwill create extreme hardship for those elderly. blind. and disabled legal Immigrants who are unable to support themselves. Let me tell you the story about a 73yearold legal immigrant In San Francisco on SSI. She was welcomed to this county from Vietnam In 1980. She was a refugee from Communism with no family in the United States. She speaks no English and she Is suffering from kidney failure. She requires dialysis three times a week.