House Backs Ending Curbs on SSI Benefits
About 18,000 mostly poor, elderly immigrants would keep their supplemental security income benefits under legislation the House passed Wednesday.
Under the welfare reform law of 1996, noncitizens were cut from the SSI rolls. Congress later extended the benefits through Sept. 30, 1998.
The bill, passed by voice vote, would permanently extend the help.
After reviewing thousands of cases, the Social Security Administration, which runs the program, told the House Ways and Means Committee that about 18,000 of the 22,000 recipients originally thought ineligible actually qualify for benefits under the law.
The estimated $80-million cost of extending the benefits would be offset by other provisions of the bill, which now goes to the Senate for consideration.
The bill also includes a provision ensuring that sick children remain eligible for supplemental security income and other benefits after receiving gifts from nonprofit organizations, such as the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
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