To amend section 402 of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 to provide a 2-year extension of supplemental security income in fiscal years 2006 through 2008 for refugees, asylees, and certain other humanitarian immigrants.

February 17, 2005

Mr. CARDIN (for himself, Mr. ENGLISH of Pennsylvania, Mr. LEVIN, Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN, Mr. MCDERMOTT, and Mr. BECERRA) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means

To amend section 402 of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 to provide a 2-year extension of supplemental security income in fiscal years 2006 through 2008 for refugees, asylees, and certain other humanitarian immigrants.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the `SSI Extension for Elderly and Disabled Refugees Act'.

SEC. 2. SSI EXTENSION FOR HUMANITARIAN IMMIGRANTS.

Section 402(a)(2) of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (8 U.S.C. 1612(a)(2)) is amended by adding at the end the following:

`(M) TWO-YEAR SSI EXTENSION THROUGH FISCAL YEAR 2008-

`(i) IN GENERAL- With respect to eligibility for benefits for the specified Federal program described in paragraph (3)(A), the 7-year period described in subparagraph (A) shall be deemed to be a 9-year period during fiscal years 2006 through 2008.

`(ii) ALIENS WHOSE BENEFITS CEASED IN PRIOR FISCAL YEARS-

`(I) IN GENERAL- Beginning on the date of the enactment of the SSI Extension for Elderly and Disabled Refugees Act, any qualified alien rendered ineligible for the specified Federal program described in paragraph (3)(A) during fiscal years prior to fiscal year 2006 solely by reason of the termination of the 7-year period described in subparagraph (A) shall be eligible for such program for an additional 2-year period in accordance with this subparagraph, if such alien meets all other eligibility factors under title XVI of the Social Security Act.

`(II) PAYMENT OF BENEFITS- Benefits paid under subparagraph (I) shall be paid prospectively over the duration of the qualified alien's renewed eligibility.'.

END