[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 119 (Monday, August 1, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1468]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 TO AMEND SECTION 402(a)(2)(M) OF THE PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY AND WORK 
   OPPORTUNITY RECONCILIATION ACT OF 1996 TO EXTEND BY TWO YEARS THE 
      SPECIAL RULE RELATING TO ELIGIBILITY FOR BENEFITS UNDER THE 
SUPPLEMENTAL SECURITY INCOME PROGRAM FOR CERTAIN ALIENS AND VICTIMS OF 
                              TRAFFICKING

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                           HON. JIM McDERMOTT

                             of washington

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, August 1, 2011

  Mr. McDERMOTT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce legislation 
that would extend by two years the three-year effective period of 
extended Supplemental Security Income, SSI, eligibility for time-
limited humanitarian immigrants. This is a commonsense bill that simply 
extends the current policy, which is set to expire on October 1, 2011. 
The population that would be assisted by this legislation is elderly 
and disabled refugees and other humanitarian immigrants who have very 
low income, and who face barriers to passing the naturalization exams 
within the time limits.
  In 2007 during the 110th Congress I introduced H.R. 2608 with 
bipartisan support, which was signed into law by President George W. 
Bush in 2008 (P.L. 110-328). This legislation would extend that policy 
again so that approximately 3,000 refugees do not lose SSI benefits on 
October 1. Failure to enact this legislation would cause serious 
hardship for this population.
  Mr. Speaker, July 28, 2011 marks the 60th anniversary of the Geneva 
Refugee Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, an international 
treaty signed by 142 nations, including the United States. This treaty 
remains the cornerstone of refugee protection and represents the 
struggle of millions of displaced people who are uprooted by conflict 
and persecution. The treaty explicitly commits nations to ensure that 
lawful refugees be eligible for basic public assistance. This 
legislation is a small step toward meeting our commitment. I urge my 
colleagues to support this legislation.

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