[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 36 (Monday, February 27, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E452-E453]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                             SSI FOR SAMOA

                                 ______


                       HON. ENI F.H. FALEOMAVAEGA

                           of american samoa

                    in the house of representatives

                       Monday, February 27, 1995
  Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, American Samoa is the only 
jurisdiction of the United States that is not served by the SSI 
program, nor its predecessor program, the Aid to the Aged, Blind, or 
Disabled [AABD]. SSI and AABD are basically the same in design. The 
only significant difference between the two programs is funding. With 
SSI, benefits and the cost of administering the program are fully 
financed by the Federal Treasury. As for AABD, the Federal Government 
pays 75 percent of benefits up to a specified limit and the States 
absorb the remaining 25 percent. Administrative cost is shared by both 
the Federal Government and the States at 50 percent each.
  Under current law, in order to receive SSI benefits, a low-income 
elderly, blind or disabled individual must reside in one of the 50 
States, the District of Columbia, or the Commonwealth of the Northern 
Mariana Islands. For qualified individuals who reside in Guam, Puerto 
Rico, or the Virgin Islands, similar benefits are available to them 
through the AABD program. Unfortunately, the elderly, blind and 
disabled individuals in American Samoa who have low or no income are 
not covered by either program.
  Mr. Speaker, this is yet another example of a vital program extended 
to all 50 States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, Virgin 
Islands, and the Northern Mariana Islands, 
[[Page E453]]  but not American Samoa. I believe this may have been an 
oversight when Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands were included in the 
AABD program in 1950, and Guam after 1952.
  According to a recent survey in American Samoa, there are now 
approximately 3,500 elderly, blind and disabled individuals with low or 
no income. These individuals currently receive some assistance through 
a nutrition assistance program, but funding for this program is 
determined on a year-to-year basis.
  In addition, Mr. Speaker, the elderly population in American Samoa 
are caught between two systems. When Social Security went into effect 
in Samoa, this group of people were too old to contribute long enough 
to qualify for minimum benefits. On the other hand, the territorial 
retirement system did not begin until 1971. By that time, many of these 
people had already left the work force or had so little time remaining 
that they were also excluded from benefits under this system.
  In each Congress since 1990, I have introduced legislation to include 
Samoa's elderly, blind and disabled population in the SSI program to 
address their critical financial needs. In 1990, it was estimated that 
approximately 1,600 such individuals resided in the Territory. The 
Congressional Budget Office estimated that if SSI was in place in 
American Samoa in 1993, Federal outlays would be about $3 million 
higher than under current law.
  Mr. Speaker, I know we are going through a difficult time in 
budgeting our revenue. I also know all Americans will have to sacrifice 
to bring our budget into balance. As we go through this process, I 
simply want to ask my colleagues that we not ask the most vulnerable 
among us, namely the blind, disabled and poor elderly, to make a 
disproportionate share of that sacrifice.
  Mr. Speaker, I submit the bill to be printed in the Record as 
follows:
                                 H.R.--

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. EXTENSION OF SUPPLEMENTAL SECURITY INCOME BENEFITS 
                   PROGRAM TO AMERICAN SAMOA.

       (a) In General.--The 7th sentence of section 1101(a)(1) of 
     the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1301(a)(1)) is amended by 
     inserting `and title XVI (as in effect pursuant to the 
     amendment made by section 301 of the Social Security 
     Amendments of 1972)' before `also'.
       (b) Conforming Amendments.--
       (1) Section 1614(e) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1382c(e)) is 
     amended by inserting `, American Samoa,' before `and'.
       (2) Section 1614(a)(1)(B)(ii) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 
     1382c(a)(1)(B)(ii)) is amended by inserting `or national' 
     after `citizen'.

     SEC. 2. EFFECTIVE DATE.

       The amendments made by section 1 shall take effect on 
     October 1, 1995.
     

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