I 

118TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 1571 

To amend the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act of 1996 

to provide certain Federal public benefits to citizens of the Federated 

States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the 

Republic of Palau who are lawfully residing in the United States if 

they are otherwise qualified, consistent with section 141 of the Compacts 

of Free Association. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MARCH 14, 2023 

Mr. CASE (for himself, Mr. WOMACK, and Ms. TOKUDA) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Accountability, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, and 

Agriculture, 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 amend the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity 

Act of 1996 to provide certain Federal public benefits 

to citizens of the Federated States of Micronesia, the 

Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the Republic of 

Palau who are lawfully residing in the United States 

if they are otherwise qualified, consistent with section 

141 of the Compacts of Free Association. 

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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•HR 1571 IH

1 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

2 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Compact Impact Fair3 ness Act of 2023’’. 

4 SEC. 2. PROVISION OF FEDERAL PUBLIC BENEFIT ELIGI5 BILITY FOR CITIZENS OF FREELY ASSOCI6 ATED STATES. 

7 (a) IN GENERAL.—Section 402 of the Personal Re8 sponsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 

9 1996 (8 U.S.C. 1612) is amended— 

10 (1) in subsection (a)(2), by adding at the end 

11 the following: 

12 ‘‘(N) EXCEPTION FOR CITIZENS OF FREE13 LY ASSOCIATED STATES.—With respect to eligi14 bility for benefits for any specified Federal pro15 gram, paragraph (1) shall not apply to any in16 dividual who lawfully resides in the United 

17 States in accordance with section 141 of the 

18 Compacts of Free Association between the Gov19 ernment of the United States and the Govern20 ments of the Federated States of Micronesia, 

21 the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the 

22 Republic of Palau, and who is a citizen of one 

23 of those three nations.’’; and 

24 (2) in subsection (b)(2)(G)— 


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•HR 1571 IH

1 (A) in the subparagraph heading, by strik2 ing ‘‘MEDICAID EXCEPTION FOR’’ and in3 serting ‘‘EXCEPTION FOR’’; and 

4 (B) by striking ‘‘the designated Federal 

5 program defined in paragraph (3)(C) (relating 

6 to the Medicaid program)’’ and inserting ‘‘any 

7 designated Federal program’’. 

8 (b) EXCEPTION TO 5-YEAR WAIT REQUIREMENT.— 

9 Section 403(b)(3) of such Act (8 U.S.C. 1613(b)(3)) is 

10 amended by striking ‘‘, but only with respect to the des11 ignated Federal program defined in section 

12 402(b)(3)(C)’’. 

13 (c) DEFINITION OF QUALIFIED ALIEN.—Section 

14 431(b)(8) of such Act (8 U.S.C. 1641(b)(8)) is amended 

15 by striking ‘‘, but only with respect to the designated Fed16 eral program defined in section 402(b)(3)(C) (relating to 

17 the Medicaid program)’’. 

Æ 


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