Ambarchyan

MEMORANDUM ***

We affirm the District Court’s summary judgment order denying Surik Ambarchyan supplemental security income disability benefits under Title XVI of the Social Security Act.

In 1991, Ambarchyan applied for supplemental security income disability benefits. The Social Security Administration (“SSA”) determined that Ambarchyan was not “disabled” within the meaning of the Social Security Act and denied his application accordingly. Ambarchyan then requested and received a hearing before an SSA administrative law judge (“ALJ”). In 1994, an ALJ, considering Ambarehyan’s disability claim de novo, also determined that Ambarchyan was not disabled. Ambarchyan appealed the ALJ’s decision to the SSA Appeals Council. The SSA Appeals Council, in turn, remanded Ambarchyan’s case to another ALJ for reevaluation. In 1995, the second ALJ concluded that Ambarchyan was not disabled.

Ambarchyan asked the SSA Appeals Council to review the second ALJ’s decision. When the Appeals Council declined to review the second ALJ’s decision, that decision became the final decision of the Commissioner of Social Security (the “Commissioner”). Ambarchyan appealed the Commissioner’s decision to the…