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Thomas, J., dissenting
the in forma pauperis statute indicating that Congress has chosen to exclude such entities from the benefits of that law. While the "context indicates" that an artificial entity is not a "person" for purposes of a statute providing benefits to individuals with disabilities,4 the same cannot be said of 28 U. S. C. § 1915, which provides benefits to impecunious litigants—a class encompassing both natural and artificial "persons." 5
4 See, e. g., 42 U. S. C. § 6001(5) (1988 ed., Supp. II) ("The term 'developmental disability' means a severe, chronic disability of a person"); 2 U. S. C. § 135b(a) ("[P]reference shall at all times be given to the needs of the blind and of the other physically handicapped persons").
5 The context also "indicates otherwise" in statutes dealing with marriage, see, e. g., 38 U. S. C. § 101(31) ("The term 'spouse' means a person of the opposite sex who is a wife or husband"); § 103(a) ("any claim filed by a person as the widow or widower of a veteran"), the military, see, e. g., 18 U. S. C. § 244 ("any person wearing the uniform of any of the armed forces of the United States"); 38 U. S. C. § 101(2) ("The term 'veteran' means a person who served in the active military, naval, or air service, and who was discharged or released therefrom under conditions other than dishonorable"), drug addiction, see, e. g., 42 U. S. C. § 201(k) ("The term 'addict' means any person who habitually uses any habit-forming narcotic drugs"), drunk driving, see, e. g., 18 U. S. C. § 3118(a) (1988 ed., Supp. II) ("such person's driving while under the influence of a drug or alcohol"), kidnaping, see, e. g., § 1201(a) ("[w]hoever unlawfully seizes, confines, . . . kidnaps, abducts, or carries away and holds for ransom . . . any person"), sexual assault, see, e. g., § 2241(a) ("[w]hoever, in the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States or in a Federal prison, knowingly causes another person to engage in a sexual act"), language, see, e. g., 28 U. S. C. § 1827(b)(1) ("persons who speak only or primarily a language other than the English language"), jury duty, see, e. g., § 1865(a) ("The chief judge . . . shall determine . . . whether a person is unqualified for, or exempt, or to be excused from jury service"), "missing persons," see, e. g., § 534(a)(3) ("The Attorney General shall . . . acquire, collect, classify, and preserve any information which would assist in the location of any missing person . . . and provide confirmation as to any entry for such a person to the parent, legal guardian, or next of kin of that person"), and "homeless persons," see, e. g., 42 U. S. C. § 12705(b)(2)(C) (1988 ed., Supp. II) ("helping homeless persons make the transition to permanent housing and independent living").
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