Food Stamp Benefit Restoration Letter (10-25-2000)

October 25, 2000

Dear Speaker Hastert:

I am writing on behalf of the National Conference of State Legislatures to urge you to include restoration of Food Stamp benefits for legal immigrants in the final budget agreement. The 1996 Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act denied, food stamps to legal immigrants and to certain refugees who had been in the United States more than five years. While NCSL supported the 1996 welfare reform law, NCSL opposed these provisions and continues to support federal restoration of food stamp benefits to legal immigrants that will end this cost-shift to states.

In 1996, the federal government abdicated its responsibility to fund the consequences of its decisions regarding immigration. The federal government has exclusive jurisdiction over immigration and is responsible for serving immigrants that it admits to the United States. Provisions in the bipartisan Hunger Relief Act of 1999 (S. 1805, H.R. 3192) would restore the ability of certain legal immigrants to receive food stamp assistance. NCSL believes this must be included in any final agreement.

NCSL has long supported the restoration of these benefits because the 1996 actions were a cost shift to the states. To their credit, states rose to the challenge. To ameliorate the impact of federal denial of assistance to legal immigrants, many states created their own food assistance programs or increased state funding to food banks. However, states alone should not have to meet the food needs of people legally admitted to the country under federal immigration policy.

The 1996 immigration provisions had nothing to do with the fundamental goals of the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families program-- to promote self-sufficiency and family stability through a work-first, time-limited, program. None of the goals of TANF are in any way compromised by providing food stamps to a legal immigrant. In fact, Congress and the Administration have taken actions to ensure that low-income working families receive food stamps.

If you have any questions or need additional information, please contact Sheri Steisel (sheri.steisel@ncsl.org) or Tamra Spielvogel (tamra.spielvogel@ncsl.org) or call NCSL's Washington office at (202) 624-5400.

Sincerely,

Delegate John Hurson
Majority Leader, Maryland House of Delegates
Chair, Assembly on Federal Issues