Opinion ID: 457822
Heading Depth: 5
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Finance Report

Text: 92 The Secretary first argues that the language in a Senate Finance Committee report shows that the language permanent resident under color of law was clearly intended to apply only to aliens who entered the United States before July, 1948. She points to a discussion of a proposed change in the AFDC eligibility provisions. The proposal was contained in H.R. 1, which also contained the SSI provisions, and evidently would have added the phrase or otherwise permanently residing in the United States under color of law to the AFDC statute. She cites the following language from the report: 93 Under the committee bill ..., States would be mandated in Federal law to require as a condition of eligibility for the AFDC welfare program ... that an individual be a resident of the United States and either a citizen or alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence or a person who is a permanent resident under color of law (that is, a person who entered the United States before July 1948 and who may be eligible for admission for permanent residence at the discretion of the Attorney General under section 1259 of title 8 of the United States Code). 94 S.Rep. No. 1230, 92nd Congress, 2nd Sess. 466 (1972). 95 Were the language discussed in this excerpt incorporated in the SSI statute without modification, the Secretary's argument might carry some weight in our analysis. However, since this language was not enacted in the form discussed in the report, we are left entirely unpersuaded. As previously indicated, the permanently residing in the United States under color of law language of Section (B)(ii) is modified by a parenthetical--(including any alien who is lawfully present in the United States as a result of the application of the provisions of section 1153(a)(7) or section 1182(d)(5) of Title 8). This parenthetical not only patently broadens the meaning of the phrase beyond the interpretation contained in the Senate report, but also effectively contradicts the particular limitation the report advances. 96