Cite as: 540 U. S. 20 (2003)
Opinion of the Court
whether that work exists in the national economy. Rather, it reserves inquiry into the national economy for the fifth step, when it considers vocational factors and determines whether the claimant can perform other jobs in the national economy. See 20 CFR §§ 404.1520(f ), 404.1560(c), 416.920(f), 416.960(c). That interpretation is a reasonable construction of § 423(d)(2)(A). The Third Circuit's contrary reading ignores the grammatical "rule of the last antecedent," under which a limiting clause or phrase should be read to modify only the noun or phrase that it immediately follows. Construing § 423(d)(2)(A) in accord with this rule is quite sensible. Congress could have determined that an analysis of a claimant's capacity to do his previous work would in most cases be an effective and efficient administrative proxy for the claimant's ability to do some work that exists in the national economy. There is good reason to use such a proxy to avoid the more expansive and individualized step-five analysis. The proper Chevron inquiry is not whether an agency construction can give rise to undesirable results in some instances (which both the SSA's and the Third Circuit's constructions can), but whether, in light of the alternatives, the agency construction is reasonable. Here, the SSA's authoritative interpretation satisfies that test. Pp. 23-30. 294 F. 3d 568, reversed.
Scalia, J., delivered the opinion for a unanimous Court.
Jeffrey A. Lamken argued the cause for petitioner. With him on the briefs were Solicitor General Olson, Assistant Attorney General McCallum, Deputy Solicitor General Kneedler, William Kanter, Wendy M. Keats, and Barbara L. Spivak.
Abraham S. Alter argued the cause and filed a brief for
respondent.
Justice Scalia delivered the opinion of the Court.
Under the Social Security Act, the Social Security Administration (SSA) is authorized to pay disability insurance benefits and Supplemental Security Income to persons who have a "disability." A person qualifies as disabled, and thereby eligible for such benefits, "only if his physical or mental impairment or impairments are of such severity that he is not only unable to do his previous work but cannot, considering
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