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welfare reform
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Date: Wed, 15 Nov 1995 16:43:50 -0500 From:oca@ari.net Subject: URGE CLINTON TO VETO WELFARE REFORM
NEWS RELEASE CONTACT: KAREN K. NARASAKI, NAPALC 202-296-2300 VICKI SHU, OCA 202-223-5500
ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICAN ORGANIZATION URGE PRESIDENT CLINTON TO VETO WELFARE BILL
CONFERENCE COMMITTEE AGREES ON ANTI-IMMIGRANT WELFARE PROVISIONS
Washington -- The National Asian Pacific American Legal Consortium (NAPALC) , Organization of Chinese Americans (OCA), Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance - AFL/CIO (APALA), and the Asian Pacific Islander American Health Forum (APIAHF) are urging Congress to vote against the welfare reformbill and are calling for President Clinton to veto it if it passes. The groups believe that the anti-immigrant provisions in the final bill will have a devastating impact on the Asian Pacific American community.
The House/Senate Conference Committee reached a final agreement on the anti-immigrant provisions. In many cases the compromise took the most anti-immigrant features of the Senate and House bills.
For example, the conferees dropped the Senate provision that gave states theoption of exempting victims of domestic violence from the immigrant benefits restrictions. NAPALC Executive Director Karen Narasaki said, "Victims of domestic violence will be locked into abusive relationships since they will be ineligible for Food Stamps and may be ineligible for AFDC, shelters and job training."
Current legal permanent residents, as well as new entrants, will be ineligible for Food Stamps and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) for the aged, blind and disabled, until they are citizens or have worked long enough to qualify for Social Security. The House agreed to drop an exemption that would have allowed benefits for legal permanent residents too mentally or physically disabled to complete the citizenship process. States will have the option of barring AFDC,Medicaid and Title XX programs such as community health programs to legalpermanent residents.
APIAHF Policy Analyst Staff Dong Suh stated, "With the bill's drastic reduction in federal spending on Medicaid, states will likely exercise their option of barringaccess to legal immigrants. There is no rationale for cutting preventative care. This bill is particularly harsh to pregnant women, children, the elderly and disabled."
The conferees also refused to accept a House exemption to the bar on SSI and Food Stamps for legal permanent residents over 75 years old, unless the immigrant has qualified for at least minimum Social Security benefits.
OCA Executive Director Daphne Kwok noted, "The Conference Committee was amazingly mean spirited in refusing to allow benefits to those over 75 years old. Many of these elderly individuals have lived and worked in this country for numerous years and do not have sponsors to fall back on. Nor is it likely that they will be able to rejoin the workforce so they will be left to starve."
The conferees also agreed to the Senate provision that bars all new immigrantsfrom all federally means-tested programs for the first five years after their arrival with some limited exceptions.
Narasaki noted that the community won some limited concessions. In the face of expected legal challenges, the conferees dropped a Senate provision that would have continued restrictions on eligibility even after an immigrant became anaturalized citizen. The conferees also agreed to the Senate's list of exempted programs which include emergency Medicaid, immunization and communicabledisease treatment, short-term disaster relief, school meals, WIC, and Head Start. The Attorney General may also exempt community programs that are not means tested and that are determined to be necessary for the protection of life, safety orpublic health.
Both the House and the Senate agreed to exempt education loans due to thesuccessful lobbying of colleges and universities, but the exemption is onlyretrospective for existing loans. In addition, the Senate agreed to drop the requirement that new sponsors have an income of twice the poverty rate before being able to bring in a family member. However, this provision is still contained in the immigration bills still to come before Congress.
In October, the Clinton Administration had expressed several concerns about the Senate bill, including the need to exempt immigrants who were more than 75 years old and restrictions on receipt of Medicaid.
"We urge the community to contact their Representatives and their Senators andurge them to oppose the welfare reform bill," said APALA Executive DirectorMatthew Finucane. He added, "Also, it is extremely important that President Clinton get the clear message that he should veto this bill."
The welfare bill is expected to be added to the budget reconciliation bill headed for a vote this week. If the President vetos the budget bill, welfare reform will probably be voted on as a separate bill after Thanksgiving.
Founded in 1973, OCA is a national civil rights organization dedicated to securing equal justice, treatment and opportunities for Asian Americans through education and advocacy work. OCA has 40 chapters across the country and one in Hong Kong, and maintains headquarters in Washington, D.C.
Organization of Chinese Americans 1001 Connecticut Avenue, N.W. Suite #707 Washington, D.C. 20036
E-Mail: oca@ari.net Tel:(202)223-5500 Fax:(202)296-0540 Voice Mail:(202)223-5523 ```
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