Azami

MEMORANDUM AND ORDER (Social Security)

Plaintiff has filed a complaint under 42 U.S.C. § 405 (g) seeking review of the decision of the Commissioner of the Social Secu rity Administration (Commissioner) denying his application for supplemental security income benefits (SSI) under Title XVI of the Social Security Act. Defendant has answered and the parties have filed cross-motions for summary judgment. For the reasons discussed below, I conclude that the Commissioner’s decision should be affirmed.

BACKGROUND

Plaintiff filed his current application for SSI on April 23, 1992, claiming disability since March 9, 1985, due to chest pain, back pain, and fainting spells. (Administrative Record (A.R.) 254-257.) After his claim was denied initially and upon reconsideration, plaintiff received a hearing before ALJ Templin on June 21, 1995. (AR.10-11, 22, 283-299.) Plaintiff was represented by a non-attorney and testified through an interpreter. Expert testimony was received from a physician and from a vocational specialist. (AR.22.)

In a written decision dated July 10, 1995, ALJ Templin explicitly declined to reopen plaintiffs prior applications. (A.R.11.) He determined that plaintiff…