SRC-JFA C.S.S.C.R. 19 75(R)BILL ANALYSIS Senate Research CenterC.S.S.C.R. 19 By: Truan Health & Human Services 4-11-97 Committee Report (Substituted) DIGEST Currently, the new Federal Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996, better known as the Welfare Reform Law, denies Medicaid benefits, access to Supplemental Security Income, and food stamps to noncitizens of the Untied States. A conservative estimate of the total negative economic impact from losses in federal aid arising out of the Welfare Reform Act is approximately $1 billion. This resolution would request the United States Congress to amend federal law to encourage citizenship of legal immigrants, to encourage schools and institutions of higher education to teach and offer citizenship courses, to provide enhanced citizenship training, to grant citizenship to descendants and parents of persons who served two or more years in the United States armed services, and to provide a waiver of citizenship requirements for the elderly and disabled who have been in the country for 10 years or more. PURPOSE As proposed, S.C.R. 19 submits the following resolutions: To acknowledge the direct economic loss faced by legal immigrants due to the changes enacted by federal welfare reform. To acknowledge the economic loss and the economic impact suffered by the State of Texas due to the loss of Medicaid, Supplemental Security Income, and food stamp benefits by legal immigrants residing within the borders of this state. To request the United States Congress to amend federal law to encourage citizenship of legal immigrants, to encourage schools and institutions of higher education to teach and offer citizenship courses, to provide enhanced citizenship training, to grant citizenship to descendants and parents of persons who served two or more years in the United States armed services, and to provide a waiver of citizenship requirements for the elderly and disabled who have been in the country for 10 years or more. To forward official copies of this resolution to the president of the United States, to the speaker of the house of representatives and president of the senate of the United States Congress, and all the members of the Texas delegation to the congress with the request that it be entered officially into the Congressional Record as a memorial to the Congress of the United States. SUMMARY OF COMMITTEE CHANGES Revises provisions relating to the Federal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconcilement Act of 1996, better known as the Welfare Reform Law. Requests the United States Congress to amend federal law to encourage citizenship of legal immigrants, to encourage schools and institutions of higher education to teach and offer citizenship courses, to provide enhanced citizenship training, to grant citizenship to descendants and parents of persons who served two or more years in the United States armed services, and to provide a waiver of citizenship requirements for the elderly and disabled who have been in the country for 10 years or more; rather than requesting the Congress of the United States to amend federal law to allow legal aliens access to food stamp benefits.