I 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 7772 

To restrict certain Federal assistance benefits to individuals verified to be 

citizens of the United States. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MARCH 21, 2024 

Mr. GROTHMAN (for himself, Mr. BURCHETT, and Mr. BAIRD) introduced the 

following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Accountability 

A BILL 

To restrict certain Federal assistance benefits to individuals 

verified to be citizens of the United States. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Safeguarding Benefits 

5 for Americans Act of 2024’’. 

6 SEC. 2. RESTRICTING CERTAIN FEDERAL ASSISTANCE BEN7 EFITS TO INDIVIDUALS VERIFIED TO BE CITI8 ZENS. 

9 (a) RESTRICTION.— 


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1 (1) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding any other 

2 provision of law, an individual is not eligible for a 

3 Federal assistance benefit (as defined in paragraph 

4 (2) of this subsection) unless the individual meets 

5 the citizenship requirement specified in subsection 

6 (b)(1). 

7 (2) FEDERAL ASSISTANCE BENEFIT.—In this 

8 section, the term ‘‘Federal assistance benefit’’ 

9 means, with respect to an individual, assistance fur10 nished to the individual (or to the household, family, 

11 or other similar unit that includes the individual) 

12 under any Federal assistance program (as defined in 

13 subsection (e)), including any benefit furnished 

14 under a grant or contract made pursuant to any 

15 such program, but does not include an entity receiv16 ing a grant or contract under such a program if the 

17 grant or contract is used to furnish assistance other 

18 than to the entity receiving the grant or contract. 

19 (b) CITIZENSHIP, ATTESTATION, AND CITIZENSHIP

20 VERIFICATION REQUIREMENTS.— 

21 (1) CITIZENSHIP REQUIREMENT.—The citizen22 ship requirement specified in this paragraph, with 

23 respect to an individual, is that the individual must 

24 meet— 


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1 (A) the attestation requirement of para2 graph (2); and 

3 (B) the citizenship verification requirement 

4 of paragraph (3). 

5 (2) ATTESTATION REQUIREMENT.—An indi6 vidual meets the attestation requirement of this 

7 paragraph for a Federal assistance benefit if the in8 dividual has filed, in connection with the application 

9 for the benefit (or, in the case of an individual who 

10 is a recipient of the benefit, filed with the provider 

11 of the benefit), a declaration in writing (under pen12 alty of perjury and in a form and manner specified 

13 under subsection (c)(3)) that the individual is a cit14 izen or national of the United States. 

15 (3) CITIZENSHIP VERIFICATION REQUIRE16 MENT.— 

17 (A) IN GENERAL.—An individual meets the 

18 citizenship verification requirement of this para19 graph— 

20 (i) in connection with an application 

21 for a Federal assistance benefit, if the in22 dividual— 

23 (I) furnishes in connection with 

24 the application satisfactory documen25 tary evidence (as defined in section 


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1 1903(x)(3) of the Social Security Act 

2 (42 U.S.C. 1396b(x)(3)) of United 

3 States citizenship or nationality; 

4 (II) furnishes in connection with 

5 the application a photographic iden6 tity document described in section 

7 274A(b)(1)(D) of the Immigration 

8 and Nationality Act; and 

9 (III) furnishes in connection with 

10 the application the individual’s name 

11 and social security account number 

12 and has the name and number and 

13 citizenship or nationality status con14 firmed in accordance with subpara15 graphs (B)(ii) and (C)(ii) as being 

16 consistent with information in the 

17 records maintained by the Commis18 sioner of Social Security or the Sec19 retary of Homeland Security, respec20 tively; or 

21 (ii) in the case of a recipient of a Fed22 eral assistance benefit, if the individual 

23 furnishes to the provider of the benefit the 

24 documentary evidence and other informa25 tion described in clause (i), and has the inVerDate Sep 11 2014 16:02 Apr 06, 2024 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H7772.IH H7772

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1 dividual’s name and social security account 

2 number and social security number and 

3 citizenship or nationality status confirmed 

4 as described in clause (i)(III). 

5 (B) CONFIRMATION THROUGH SOCIAL SE6 CURITY.— 

7 (i) TRANSMITTAL OF SSN TO SSA.— 

8 An entity that is furnished a name, social 

9 security account number, and other iden10 tity information for an individual under 

11 subparagraph (A) shall submit the name 

12 and number to the Commissioner of Social 

13 Security for confirmation under clause (ii) 

14 of this subparagraph. 

15 (ii) CONFIRMATION OR NONCON16 FIRMATION BY SSA.—Upon receipt of a 

17 submittal under clause (i) from an entity, 

18 the Commissioner shall compare the infor19 mation submitted with the information in 

20 the records maintained by the Commis21 sioner and transmit to the entity either a 

22 confirmation or nonconfirmation as to 

23 whether the number submitted is valid and 

24 whether the information in the Social Se25 curity Administration indicates that the inVerDate Sep 11 2014 16:02 Apr 06, 2024 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H7772.IH H7772

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1 dividual is a citizen or national of the 

2 United States. 

3 (C) CONFIRMATION THROUGH DHS.— 

4 (i) TRANSMITTAL TO DHS.—An entity 

5 that is furnished a name and social secu6 rity account number and other identity in7 formation for an individual under subpara8 graph (A) of this paragraph shall submit 

9 the name and number and such other iden10 tifying information as the Director may re11 quire under subsection (c)(3)(B) respecting 

12 the individual to the Secretary of Home13 land Security for confirmation under 

14 clause (ii) of this subparagraph. 

15 (ii) REVIEW AND CONFIRMATION OR

16 NONCONFIRMATION BY DHS.—Upon re17 ceipt of a submittal under clause (i) from 

18 an entity, the Secretary of Homeland Se19 curity shall transmit to the entity either a 

20 confirmation or nonconfirmation as to 

21 whether the information in the records of 

22 the Department of Homeland Security in23 dicates that the individual is a citizen or 

24 national of the United States. 


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1 (D) VERIFICATION THROUGH SAVE PRO2 GRAM.—An entity that is furnished a name and 

3 social security account number and other iden4 tity information for an individual under sub5 paragraph (A) shall verify that the individual is 

6 not included as a noncitizen in the Systematic 

7 Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) 

8 Program of the Department of Homeland Secu9 rity. 

10 (E) NOTICE.—In the case of an individual 

11 who does not provide the documentary evidence 

12 referred to in subparagraph (A) or who does 

13 not receive confirmation of United States citi14 zenship or nationality under subparagraph 

15 (B)(ii) or (C)(ii), the entity processing the ap16 plication for, or providing, the Federal assist17 ance benefit involved shall notify the individual 

18 of the individual’s ineligibility under this section 

19 with respect to the benefit, and of the oppor20 tunity of the individual to appeal the ineligi21 bility determination. 

22 (F) APPEALS PROCESS.—The head of any 

23 department or agency of the Federal Govern24 ment who is administering a Federal benefit 

25 program shall provide a process through which 


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1 an individual may appeal a determination made 

2 under this Act that an individual is ineligible 

3 for a Federal assistance benefit. 

4 (4) NATIONAL DEFINED.—In this section, the 

5 term ‘‘national’’ means a national of the United 

6 States (as defined in section 101(a)(22) of the Im7 migration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 

8 1101(a)(22)). 

9 (c) ADDITIONAL RULES; ADMINISTRATION.— 

10 (1) TREATMENT OF CERTAIN FAMILIES AND

11 HOUSEHOLDS.—In the case of a Federal assistance 

12 benefit which is made available based on— 

13 (A) eligibility for a child, the child shall be 

14 treated as meeting the citizenship requirement 

15 of subsection (b)(1) if the child, or a parent or 

16 legal guardian of the child, meets the require17 ment; and 

18 (B) eligibility for a household or other 

19 family unit, the members of the household or 

20 family unit shall be treated as meeting the citi21 zenship requirement if any individual who is 

22 treated as a member of the household or family 

23 unit meets the requirement, except that— 

24 (i) if the program under which the 

25 benefit is furnished is the program for supVerDate Sep 11 2014 16:02 Apr 06, 2024 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00008 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H7772.IH H7772

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1 portive housing for the elderly under sec2 tion 202 of the Housing Act of 1959 (12 

3 U.S.C. 1701q), the citizenship requirement 

4 must be met by an elderly individual who 

5 is a member of the household; and 

6 (ii) if the program under which the 

7 benefit is furnished is the program for sup8 portive housing for persons with disabilities 

9 under section 811 of the Cranston-Gon10 zalez National Affordable Housing Act (42 

11 U.S.C. 8013), the citizenship requirement 

12 must be met by a disabled individual who 

13 is a member of the household. 

14 (2) SATISFACTION OF REQUIREMENT.—Once an 

15 individual meets the citizenship requirement of sub16 section (b)(1) with respect to a Federal assistance 

17 benefit, the individual shall be treated as continuing 

18 to meet the requirement for the benefit so long as 

19 the individual otherwise remains continuously eligi20 ble for the benefit. 

21 (3) GENERAL ADMINISTRATION.— 

22 (A) IN GENERAL.—The Director of the Of23 fice of Management and Budget may issue such 

24 regulations and guidance as may be required to 

25 carry out this section. 


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1 (B) SPECIFICATIONS OF DECLARATION

2 FORM AND VERIFICATION PROCESS.—Not later 

3 than 30 days after the date of the enactment of 

4 this Act, the Director shall specify the form and 

5 manner of the declaration of citizenship form 

6 under subsection (b)(2) and the method for 

7 verifying citizenship to be used under sub8 section (b)(3) consistent with the following: 

9 (i) The declaration form shall be 

10 based on the declaration form used for 

11 purposes of section 1137(d)(1)(A) of the 

12 Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1320b– 

13 7(d)(1)(A)). 

14 (ii) The verification process described 

15 in subparagraphs (A), (B), and (C) of sub16 section (b)(3) shall be based on the process 

17 used for purposes of paragraphs (1) and 

18 (2) of section 1902(ee) of the Social Secu19 rity Act (42 U.S.C. 1396a(ee)). 

20 (4) SUPERSEDING OTHER CITIZENSHIP-RE21 LATED ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS.—The provi22 sions of this section supersede any provisions of law 

23 relating to the eligibility for Federal assistance bene24 fits of individuals based on citizenship, nationality, 

25 or immigration status, unless the Director of the OfVerDate Sep 11 2014 16:02 Apr 06, 2024 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00010 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H7772.IH H7772

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1 fice of Management and Budget determines that the 

2 provisions of the law are more restrictive than the 

3 requirements of this section. 

4 (d) DISQUALIFICATION FOR WILLFUL AND RE5 PEATED NONCOMPLIANCE.— 

6 (1) IN GENERAL.—If the Director of the Office 

7 of Management and Budget determines that an enti8 ty providing a Federal assistance benefit has will9 fully and repeatedly furnished the benefit to individ10 uals who have not met the citizenship requirement 

11 of subsection (b)(1) or has willfully and repeatedly 

12 failed to submit information as required under sub13 paragraph (B)(i) or (C)(i) of subsection (b)(3), the 

14 entity is disqualified from furnishing the benefit, 

15 and the Director shall add the name of the entity to 

16 the List of Excluded Individuals/Entities, until the 

17 Director determines that any such benefit furnished 

18 to any such individual has been recovered. 

19 (2) MONITORING OF PROGRAMS BY THE IN20 SPECTORS GENERAL.—The Inspector General for the 

21 respective Federal Department or agency with pri22 mary responsibility for a Federal assistance program 

23 shall provide for regular reports on compliance of 

24 the entities furnishing benefits under the program in 

25 applying subsection (a). 


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1 (e) FEDERAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM DEFINED.—In 

2 this section, the term ‘‘Federal assistance program’’— 

3 (1) means any provision of Federal law (other 

4 than the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 or any 

5 other Federal law pertaining to taxation) that au6 thorizes a benefit to be furnished for which eligibility 

7 is based in whole or in part on the income or re8 sources of the beneficiary; and 

9 (2) includes any provision of the Social Security 

10 Act that authorizes a benefit to be furnished. 

11 (f) EFFECTIVE DATE.— 

12 (1) IN GENERAL.—Subsection (a) shall apply to 

13 determinations (including redeterminations) of eligi14 bility made on or after the date that is 1 year after 

15 the date of the enactment of this Act. 

16 (2) TRANSITION RULE.—In no case shall an in17 dividual remain eligible for a Federal assistance ben18 efit after the date that is 2 years after the date of 

19 the enactment of this Act without satisfying the citi20 zenship requirement of subsection (b)(1). 

Æ 


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