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THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary


For Immediate Release October 28, 1998

STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT

Today I have signed into law H.R. 4558, the "Noncitizen Benefit Clarification and Other Technical Amendments Act of 1998." This legislation will further the efforts that I have undertaken to reverse unduly harsh benefit restrictions on legal immigrants that have nothing to do with moving people from welfare to work. H.R. 4558 will ensure that thousands of elderly and disabled legal immigrants who are dependent on Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Medicaid will continue to receive such benefits.

The Act also contains several warranted technical amendments. Most significantly, H.R. 4558 will clarify that (i) eligible children with life-threatening conditions may continue to receive limited cash awards from tax-exempt organizations without losing SSI benefits, and (ii) will amend implementation time-frames for certain Welfare-to-Work funds.

I applaud the bipartisan spirit of H.R. 4558 and am pleased to sign this important legislation.

WILLIAM J. CLINTON

                                   THE WHITE HOUSE,
                                   October 28, 1998.

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