I 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 3776 

To prohibit Executive agencies from using the derogatory term ‘‘alien’’ to 

refer to an individual who is not a citizen or national of the United 

States, to amend chapter 1 of title 1, United States Code, to establish 

a uniform definition for the term ‘‘foreign national’’, and for other 

purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JULY 16, 2019 

Mr. CASTRO of Texas (for himself, Ms. GARCIA of Texas, Ms. VELA ́ZQUEZ, 

Mr. VARGAS, Mr. GRIJALVA, Mr. GALLEGO, Mrs. TRAHAN, Ms. NORTON, 

Mr. ESPAILLAT, Mr. CORREA, Ms. MUCARSEL-POWELL, Mr. VEASEY, 

Ms. OMAR, Mrs. NAPOLITANO, Mr. CA ́RDENAS, Mr. GARCI ́A of Illinois, 

and Mr. SOTO) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 

Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on Oversight and Reform, for a period to be subsequently determined by the 

Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within 

the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 

A BILL 

To prohibit Executive agencies from using the derogatory 

term ‘‘alien’’ to refer to an individual who is not a 

citizen or national of the United States, to amend chapter 1 of title 1, United States Code, to establish a 

uniform definition for the term ‘‘foreign national’’, and 

for other purposes. 

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


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1 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

2 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Correcting Hurtful and 

3 Alienating Names in Government Expression (CHANGE) 

4 Act’’. 

5 SEC. 2. MODERNIZATION OF LANGUAGE REFERRING TO IN6 DIVIDUALS WHO ARE NOT CITIZENS OR NA7 TIONALS OF THE UNITED STATES. 

8 An Executive agency (as defined in section 105 of 

9 title 5, United States Code) shall not use the following 

10 terms in any proposed or final rule, regulation, interpreta11 tion, publication, other document, display, or sign issued 

12 by the agency after the date of the enactment of this Act, 

13 except to the extent that the term is used in quoting or 

14 reproducing text written by a source other than an officer 

15 (as defined in section 2104 of title 5, United States Code) 

16 or employee (as defined in section 2105 of title 5, United 

17 States Code) of the agency: 

18 (1) The term ‘‘alien’’, when used to refer to an 

19 individual who is not a citizen or national of the 

20 United States. 

21 (2) The term ‘‘illegal alien’’ when used to refer 

22 to an individual who is unlawfully present in the 

23 United States or who lacks a lawful immigration 

24 status in the United States. 


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1 SEC. 3. UNIFORM DEFINITION. 

2 (a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 1 of title 1, United 

3 States Code, is amended by adding at the end the fol4 lowing: 

5 ‘‘§ 9. Definition of ‘foreign national’ 

6 ‘‘In determining the meaning of any Act of Congress, 

7 or of any ruling, regulation, or interpretation of various 

8 administrative bureaus and agencies of the United States, 

9 the term ‘foreign national’ means any individual other 

10 than an individual— 

11 ‘‘(1) who is a citizen of the United States; or 

12 ‘‘(2) though not a citizen of the United States, 

13 who owes permanent allegiance to the United 

14 States.’’. 

15 (b) TECHNICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 

16 for chapter 1 of title 1, United States Code, is amended 

17 by adding at the end the following: 

‘‘9. Definition of ‘foreign national’.’’. 

18 SEC. 4. REFERENCES. 

19 (a) IN GENERAL.—Any reference in any Federal 

20 statute, rule, regulation, Executive order, publication, or 

21 other document of the United States— 

22 (1) to the term ‘‘alien’’, when used to refer to 

23 an individual who is not a citizen or national of the 

24 United States, is deemed to refer to the term ‘‘for25 eign national’’; and 


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1 (2) to the term ‘‘illegal alien’’, when used to 

2 refer to an individual who is unlawfully present in 

3 the United States or who lacks a lawful immigration 

4 status in the United States, is deemed to refer to 

5 the term ‘‘undocumented foreign national’’. 

6 (b) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.— 

7 (1) Section 421(5)(A)(ii)(II) of the Congres8 sional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 

9 1974 (2 U.S.C. 658(5)(A)(ii)(II)) is amended by 

10 striking ‘‘illegal aliens’’ and inserting ‘‘undocu11 mented foreign nationals’’. 

12 (2) Section 432(e) of the Homeland Security 

13 Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 240(e)) is amended by strik14 ing ‘‘illegal alien’’ and inserting ‘‘undocumented for15 eign national’’. 

16 (3) Section 439 of the Antiterrorism and Effec17 tive Death Penalty Act of 1996 (8 U.S.C. 1252c) is 

18 amended in the section heading by striking ‘‘ILLE19 GAL ALIENS’’ and inserting ‘‘UNDOCUMENTED

20 FOREIGN NATIONALS’’. 

21 (4) Section 280(b)(3)(A)(iii) of the Immigration 

22 and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1330(b)(3)(A)(iii)) is 

23 amended by striking ‘‘illegal aliens’’ and inserting 

24 ‘‘undocumented foreign nationals’’. 


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1 (5) Section 286(r)(3)(ii) of the Immigration 

2 and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1356(r)(3)(ii)) is 

3 amended by striking ‘‘illegal aliens’’ and inserting 

4 ‘‘undocumented foreign nationals’’. 

5 (6) Section 501 of the Immigration Reform and 

6 Control Act of 1986 (8 U.S.C. 1365) is amended— 

7 (A) in the section heading, by striking ‘‘IL8 LEGAL ALIENS’’ and inserting ‘‘UNDOCU9 MENTED FOREIGN NATIONALS’’; 

10 (B) in the subsection heading for sub11 section (b), by striking ‘‘ILLEGAL ALIENS’’ and 

12 inserting ‘‘UNDOCUMENTED FOREIGN NATION13 ALS’’; and 

14 (C) by striking ‘‘illegal alien’’ each place 

15 such term appears and inserting ‘‘undocu16 mented foreign national’’. 

17 (7) Section 332 of the Omnibus Consolidated 

18 Appropriations Act, 1997 (8 U.S.C. 1366) is amend19 ed by striking ‘‘illegal aliens’’ each place such term 

20 appears and inserting ‘‘undocumented foreign na21 tionals’’. 

22 (8) Section 411(d) of the Personal Responsi23 bility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 

24 1996 (8 U.S.C. 1621(d)) is amended in the subVerDate Sep 11 2014 03:13 Jul 25, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H3776.IH H3776

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1 section heading by striking ‘‘ILLEGAL ALIENS’’ and 

2 inserting ‘‘UNDOCUMENTED FOREIGN NATIONALS’’. 

3 (9) Section 106(e) of the Public Works Employ4 ment Act of 1976 (42 U.S.C. 6705(e)) is amended 

5 in the subsection heading by striking ‘‘ILLEGAL

6 ALIENS’’ and inserting ‘‘UNDOCUMENTED FOREIGN

7 NATIONALS’’. 

8 (10) Section 40125(a)(2) of title 49, United 

9 States Code, is amended by striking ‘‘illegal aliens’’ 

10 and inserting ‘‘undocumented foreign nationals’’. 

Æ 


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