Lewis v. Martin/Dissent Black

by Hugo Black

United States Supreme Court

397 U.S. 552

Lewis  v.  Martin

 Argued: March 3 and 4, 1970. --- Decided: April 20, 1970

Mr. Justice BLACK, with whom THE CHIEF JUSTICE joins, dissenting.

In my dissenting opinion in Rosado v. Wyman, 397 U.S. 397, at 430-433, 90 S.Ct. 1207, at 1227-1228, 25 L.Ed.2d 442 (1970), I pointed out that in many lawsuits brought against state welfare authorities by recipients of Aid to Families With Dependent Children (AFDC) the real controversy is not between the AFDC recipients and the State but between the Federal Government and the state government. This case presents precisely that situation. The Solicitor General has informed the Court that the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare (HEW)-the federal agency vested by statute with the duty of insuring that States which receive federal AFDC matching funds abide by the federal requirements-has determined that § 11351 of the California Welfare and Institutions Code is inconsistent with federal AFDC regulations, 45 CFR § 203.1. This California statute provided when this suit was brought that the income of a stepfather or a man assuming the role of a spouse (MARS) to the mother of dependent, needy children shall be considered as available to the children in computing the AFDC assistance to which the children are entitled. The federal regulations, however, in general refuse to assume that the income of a stepfather or MARS is available to the children in the absence of proof of actual contributions. California admits that there is a conflict between these state and federal provisions but contends that the federal regulations are inconsistent with the requirements of the Social Security Act and that its statute is consistent with the Act. The controversy between these two governments is thus real and substantial. It was for exactly such situations that the Social Security Act provided a comprehensive remedial scheme for resolving disputes between federal and state governments. See 42 U.S.C. §§ 602, 604, 1316 (1964 ed. and Supp. IV). Under this scheme HEW has the power, subject to certain notice and hearing requirements, to terminate AFDC assistance to a State that refuses to conform to the federal policies. In this case, the termination of federal AFDC assistance to California or the credible threat to terminate that assistance in the near future would compel a resolution of the underlying issue in this lawsuit by forcing California (1) to amend its laws to conform to the existing federal regulations, (2) to challenge HEW's determination of nonconformity in the federal courts as provided in 42 U.S.C. § 1316 (1964 ed., Supp. IV), or (3) to withdraw from the federally assisted AFDC program. Generally, the Act provides procedures that allow the state and federal governments to resolve their difference either by agreement or by lawsuit. As I stated in my dissent in Rosado v. Wyman, supra, at 434-435, 90 S.Ct. at 1229, if the congressional objective in establishing the Act's remedial procedures is to be realized it is imperative that the integrity of these procedures not be undermined by premature lawsuits brought by welfare recipients. I think these remedial provisions of the Social Security Act reflect an unmistakable intent to give HEW primary jurisdiction over technical and difficult welfare issues and that these procedures should be the exclusive ones until they have been exhausted. Accordingly, in my view it was error for the District Court to assume jurisdiction and decide this case. It is strange indeed to me that the Federal Government has never been made a party to this lawsuit although its interests are deeply involved.

I would add this note of caution, however. The Federal Government has no power under our Constitution to force or coerce a State into disobeying its own valid laws while those laws are still on the books. My concern in this regard arises from my belief that a State, absent some express constitutional prohibition, has power and authority to fix and determine the property relationships and support obligations among persons within its boundaries. I certainly hope that the opinion of the Court today will not be interpreted as compelling a State to violate its own valid laws in order to obtain money from the Federal Government.

When this action was brought challenging the California statute as inconsistent with the federal regulations, HEW was in the process of considering the effect of its new regulations on the California statute. It is now clear that HEW was preparing to rule that the California provision was inconsistent with the federal requirements. If this Court today would vacate the jugment of the District Court, that order would leave HEW free to proceed to settle its controversy with Califoria as Congress has provided. For this reason, and for those stated above, I would vacate the judgment of the District Court and order that the case be dismissed as prematurely brought.

Notes