I
105TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 1468
To amend the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation
Act of 1996 to modify provisions restricting welfare and public benefits
for aliens.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
APRIL 29, 1997
Mr. LEVIN introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee
on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Commerce,
for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case
for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the
committee concerned
A BILL
To amend the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity
Reconciliation Act of 1996 to modify provisions restrict-
ing welfare and public benefits for aliens.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. MEDICAID EXCEPTION FOR PERMANENT RESI-
DENT ALIEN CHILDREN.
Section 402(b)(2) of the Personal Responsibility and
Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (8 U.S.C.
1612(b)(2)) is amended by adding after subparagraph (D)
the following new subparagraph:
‘‘(E) MEDICAID EXCEPTION FOR PERMA-
NENT RESIDENT ALIEN CHILDREN.—With re-
spect to eligibility for benefits under paragraph
(3)(C) (relating to the medicaid program), an
alien who —
‘‘(A) is lawfully admitted for permanent
residence under the Immigration and National-
ity Act; and
‘‘(B) is under 19 years of age.’’.
SEC. 2. EXTENSION OF ELIGIBILITY PERIOD FOR SSI AND
MEDICAID FOR REFUGEES AND ASYLEES
FROM 5 TO 7 YEARS.
(a) SSI.—Section 402(a)(2)(A) of the Personal Re-
sponsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of
1996 (8 U.S.C. 1612(a)(2)(A)) is amended by inserting
‘‘(or with respect to eligibility under paragraph (3)(A) 7
years)’’ after ‘‘5 years’’.
(b) MEDICAID.—Section 402(b)(2)(A) of the Per-
sonal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation
Act of 1996 (8 U.S.C. 1612(b)(2)(A)) is amended in
clauses (i), (ii), and (iii) by inserting ‘‘(or with respect
to eligibility under paragraph (3)(C) 7 years)’’ after ‘‘5
years’’ each place it appears.
SEC. 3. SSI ELIGIBILITY FOR QUALIFIED ALIENS WHO BE-
CAME BLIND OR DISABLED AFTER ADMIS-
SION.
(a) ELIGIBILITY.—Section 402(a)(2) of the Personal
Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act
of 1996 (8 U.S.C. 1612(a)(2)) is amended by adding after
subparagraph (D) the following new subparagraph:
‘‘(E) QUALIFIED
ALIENS
WHO
BECAME
BLIND OR DISABLED AFTER ADMISSION.—With
respect to eligibility for benefits for the pro-
gram defined in paragraph (3)(A) (relating to
the supplemental security income program),
paragraph (1) shall not apply to an alien who
is a qualified alien (as defined in section 431)
who became blind or disabled after admission to
the United States.’’.
(b) ATTRIBUTION OF INCOME.—Section 421 of the
Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconcili-
ation Act of 1996 (8 U.S.C. 1631) is amended by adding
at the end the following new subsection:
‘‘(g) SPECIAL RULE FOR SSI BENEFITS FOR BLIND
AND DISABLED ALIENS.—Notwithstanding any other pro-
vision of this section, subsection (a) shall not apply to ben-
efits under section 402(a)(3)(A) (relating to the supple-
mental security income program) for an alien who became
blind or disabled after admission to the United States.’’.
(c) NO
REIMBURSEMENT
REQUIREMENT.—Section
423(d) of the Personal Responsibility and Work Oppor-
tunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 is amended by adding
at the end the following new paragraph:
‘‘(12) Benefits under section 402(a)(3)(A) (re-
lating to the supplemental security income program)
for an alien who became blind or disabled after ad-
mission to the United States.’’.
SEC. 4. SSI ELIGIBILITY FOR QUALIFIED ALIENS WHO
WERE ADMITTED TO THE UNITED STATES BE-
FORE ATTAINING 18 YEARS OF AGE AND
WERE BLIND OR DISABLED PRIOR TO ADMIS-
SION.
(a) ELIGIBILITY.—Section 402(a)(2) of the Personal
Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act
of 1996 (8 U.S.C. 1612(a)(2)) is amended by adding after
subparagraph (E) the following new subparagraph:
‘‘(F) QUALIFIED
ALIENS
WHO
BECAME
BLIND OR DISABLED AFTER ADMISSION.—With
respect to eligibility for benefits for the pro-
gram defined in paragraph (3)(A) (relating to
the supplemental security income program),
paragraph (1) shall not apply to an alien who
is a qualified alien (as defined in section 431),
who was admitted to the United States before
attaining the age of 18 years, and who was
blind or disabled (or for whom the onset of
blindness or disability occurred) prior to admis-
sion to the United States.’’.
(b) ATTRIBUTION OF INCOME.—Section 421 of the
Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconcili-
ation Act of 1996 (8 U.S.C. 1631) is amended by adding
at the end the following new subsection:
‘‘(g) SPECIAL RULE FOR SSI BENEFITS FOR BLIND
AND DISABLED ALIENS.—Notwithstanding any other pro-
vision of this section, subsection (a) shall not apply to ben-
efits under section 402(a)(3)(A) (relating to the supple-
mental security income program) for an alien who became
blind or disabled after admission to the United States or
for an alien who was admitted to the United States prior
to attaining the age of 18 years and was blind or disabled
(or for whom the onset of blindness or disability occurred)
prior to admission to the United States.’’.
(c) NO
REIMBURSEMENT
REQUIREMENT.—Section
423(d) of the Personal Responsibility and Work Oppor-
tunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 is amended by adding
at the end the following new paragraph:
‘‘(12) Benefits under section 402(a)(3)(A) (re-
lating to the supplemental security income program)
for an alien who became blind or disabled after ad-
mission to the United States or for an alien who was
admitted to the United States prior to attaining the
age of 18 years and was blind or disabled (or for
whom the onset of blindness or disability occurred)
prior to admission to the United States.’’.
SEC. 5. EXCEPTION FOR CERTAIN BLIND AND DISABLED
ALIENS TO 5-YEAR INELIGIBILITY OF QUALI-
FIED ALIENS FOR FEDERAL MEANS-TESTED
PUBLIC BENEFITS.
Section 403(b) of the Personal Responsibility and
Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (8 U.S.C.
1613(b)) is amended by adding after paragraph (2) the
following new paragraph:
‘‘(3) EXCEPTION
FOR
BLIND
AND
DISABLED
ALIENS.—
‘‘(A) An alien who became blind or dis-
abled after admission to the United States.
‘‘(B) An alien who was admitted to the
United States before attaining the age of 18
years and who was blind or disabled (or for
whom the onset of blindness or disability oc-
curred) prior to admission to the United
States.’’.
SEC. 6. SSI ELIGIBILITY FOR PERMANENT RESIDENT
ALIENS AT LEAST 76 YEARS OF AGE.
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 402(a)(2) of the Personal
Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act
of 1996 (8 U.S.C. 1612(a)(2)) is further amended by add-
ing after subparagraph (E) the following new subpara-
graph:
‘‘(F) PERMANENT
RESIDENT
ALIENS
AT
LEAST 76 YEARS OF AGE.—With respect to eli-
gibility for benefits under paragraph (3)(A) re-
lating to the supplemental security income pro-
gram), paragraph (1) shall not apply to an
alien who
‘‘(i) is lawfully admitted to the United
States for permanent residence under the
Immigration and Nationality Act; and
‘‘(ii) is at least 76 years of age.’’.
(b) NO
REIMBURSEMENT
REQUIREMENT.—Section
423(d) of the Personal Responsibility and Work Oppor-
tunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 is amended by adding
at the end the following new paragraph:
‘‘(13) Benefits under section 402(a)(3)(A) (re-
lating to the supplemental security income program)
for an alien who is lawfully admitted to the United
States for permanent residence under the Immigra-
tion and Nationality Act and is at least 76 years of
age.’’.
SEC. 7. EFFECTIVE DATE.
(a) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in subsection
(b), the amendments made by this Act shall be effective
as if included in the enactment of title IV of the Personal
Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act
of 1996.
(b) EXCEPTIONS.—The amendments made by sec-
tions 4, 5, and 6 shall be effective with respect to benefits
payable for months after July 1997.’’.
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