Statement of Administration Policy: H.R. 4558 - Noncitizen Benefit Clarification and Other Technical Amendments Act of 1998

STATEMENT OF ADMINISTRATION POLICY

(House)

(Reps. Shaw (R) FL and Levin (D) MI)

The Administration strongly supports H.R. 4558. The bill would allow certain vulnerable legal immigrants to continue to receive Supplemental Security Income and Medicaid benefits for which they otherwise would be ineligible after September 30, 1998. H.R. 4558 would further the President's efforts to reverse unduly harsh benefit restrictions on legal immigrants that have nothing to do with moving people from welfare to work. The Administration applauds this bipartisan effort.

Pay-As-You-Go Scoring

H.R. 4558 would affect direct spending; therefore, it is subject to the pay-as-you-go requirements of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990. The Office of Management and Budget's preliminary scoring estimate is that the bill would result in a net decrease in direct spending of $5 million in FY 1999 and a total of $58 million during FYs 1999 through 2003.