subsection (a)(2) redundant. If the regulation referred to whether a person first received DIB after August 1981, those benefits would of course be based on a disability that began after February 1981. It would be impossible for someone to receive DIB for a disability one did not yet have. Thus, according to the Commissioner, to interpret “first become entitled to [DIB]” to mean simply the first time that one received any DIB would violate the familiar and well-settled principle of statutory construction that “courts are obliged to give effect, if possible, to every word used by the legislature.” Crestar Bank v. Neal (In re Kitchin Equipment Co., Inc.), 960 F.2d 1242, 1247 (4th Cir.1992); see also Reiter v. Sonotone Corp., 442 U.S. 330, 339, 99 S.Ct. 2326, 2331, 60 L.Ed.2d 931 (1979) (<HOLDING>); United States v. Hunter, 459 F.2d 205 (4th
holding that effect must be given if possible to every clause and word of a statute holding courts must adhere to legislative intent when interpreting a statute holding that courts must give effect to every word when interpreting a statute holding principle of statutory construction is to give effect to every clause and word of a statute holding courts must give effect to every provision and word in a statute and avoid any interpretation that may render statutory terms meaningless or superfluous