Lucille Roybal-Allard: “those who negotiated the original bipartisan budget agreement recognize that restoring aid to legal immigrants residing…”

“those who negotiated the original bipartisan budget agreement recognize that restoring aid to legal immigrants residing in the United States prior to August 23, 1996, and later become disabled is good policy and a needed improvement to last year's welfare bill. The reconciliation bill before us today violates the budget agreement reached earlier by the President and congressional leaders. As a result, innocent people who played by the rules will suffer. An example is Mr. Loza, a 60-year-old legal immigrant residing in Los Angeles. Mr. Loza worked in the United States for 8 years before suffering a stroke which resulted in an unstable heart condition. In November 1996, his application for SSI disability benefits was denied because of last year's welfare bill. He is now trying to live on less than $200 per month of general assistance relief. Mr. Loza is an example of one who has worked hard, played by the rules and paid his taxes but by virtue of this reconciliation bill, we now abandon due to his disability. We must vote to defeat this unfair bill.”