Correcting Hurtful and Alienating Names in Government Expression (CHANGE) Act
Bill: H.R.457 | Sponsor: Rep. Castro, Joaquin (D-TX)
Policy area: Immigration

Summary:
Correcting Hurtful and Alienating Names in Government Expression (CHANGE) Act
This bill prohibits any executive agency from using the term alien to refer to an individual who is not a U.S. citizen or national, or illegal alien to refer to such an individual who is unlawfully present in the United States or lacks lawful immigration status. This prohibition does not apply when quoting certain texts.
The bill (1) establishes a uniform definition for the term foreign national when used in acts of Congress and agencies; (2) replaces alien with foreign national in federal government documents, including statutes and regulations; and (3) replaces illegal alien with undocumented foreign national in such documents.
Under the bill, a foreign national is any individual other than an individual (1) who is a citizen of the United States; or (2) though not a citizen of the United States, who owes permanent allegiance to the United States.

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.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Correcting Hurtful and Alienating 
Names in Government Expression (CHANGE) Act''.

SEC. 2. MODERNIZATION OF LANGUAGE REFERRING TO INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE NOT 
              CITIZENS OR NATIONALS OF THE UNITED STATES.

    An Executive agency (as defined in section 105 of title 5, United 
States Code) shall not use the following terms in any proposed or final 
rule, regulation, interpretation, publication, other document, display, 
or sign issued by the agency after the date of the enactment of this 
Act, except to the extent that the term is used in quoting or 
reproducing text written by a source other than an officer (as defined 
in section 2104 of title 5, United States Code) or employee (as defined 
in section 2105 of title 5, United States Code) of the agency:
            (1) The term ``alien'', when used to refer to an individual 
        who is not a citizen or national of the United States.
            (2) The term ``illegal alien'' when used to refer to an 
        individual who is unlawfully present in the United States or 
        who lacks a lawful immigration status in the United States.

SEC. 3. UNIFORM DEFINITION.

    (a) In General.--Chapter 1 of title 1, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following:
``Sec. 9. Definition of `foreign national'
    ``In determining the meaning of any Act of Congress, or of any 
ruling, regulation, or interpretation of various administrative bureaus 
and agencies of the United States, the term `foreign national' means 
any individual other than an individual--
            ``(1) who is a citizen of the United States; or
            ``(2) though not a citizen of the United States, who owes 
        permanent allegiance to the United States.''.
    (b) Technical Amendment.--The table of sections for chapter 1 of 
title 1, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the 
following:

``9. Definition of `foreign national'.''.

SEC. 4. REFERENCES.

    (a) In General.--Any reference in any Federal statute, rule, 
regulation, Executive order, publication, or other document of the 
United States--
            (1) to the term ``alien'', when used to refer to an 
        individual who is not a citizen or national of the United 
        States, is deemed to refer to the term ``foreign national''; 
        and
            (2) to the term ``illegal alien'', when used to refer to an 
        individual who is unlawfully present in the United States or 
        who lacks a lawful immigration status in the United States, is 
        deemed to refer to the term ``undocumented foreign national''.
    (b) Conforming Amendments.--
            (1) Section 421(5)(A)(ii)(II) of the Congressional Budget 
        and Impoundment Control Act of 1974 (2 U.S.C. 
        658(5)(A)(ii)(II)) is amended by striking ``illegal aliens'' 
        and inserting ``undocumented foreign nationals''.
            (2) Section 432(e) of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 
        U.S.C. 240(e)) is amended by striking ``illegal alien'' and 
        inserting ``undocumented foreign national''.
            (3) Section 439 of the Antiterrorism and Effective Death 
        Penalty Act of 1996 (8 U.S.C. 1252c) is amended in the section 
        heading by striking ``illegal aliens'' and inserting 
        ``undocumented foreign nationals''.
            (4) Section 280(b)(3)(A)(iii) of the Immigration and 
        Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1330(b)(3)(A)(iii)) is amended by 
        striking ``illegal aliens'' and inserting ``undocumented 
        foreign nationals''.
            (5) Section 286(r)(3)(ii) of the Immigration and 
        Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1356(r)(3)(ii)) is amended by 
        striking ``illegal aliens'' and inserting ``undocumented 
        foreign nationals''.
            (6) Section 501 of the Immigration Reform and Control Act 
        of 1986 (8 U.S.C. 1365) is amended--
                    (A) in the section heading, by striking ``illegal 
                aliens'' and inserting ``undocumented foreign 
                nationals'';
                    (B) in the subsection heading for subsection (b), 
                by striking ``Illegal Aliens'' and inserting 
                ``Undocumented Foreign Nationals''; and
                    (C) by striking ``illegal alien'' each place such 
                term appears and inserting ``undocumented foreign 
                national''.
            (7) Section 332 of the Omnibus Consolidated Appropriations 
        Act, 1997 (8 U.S.C. 1366) is amended by striking ``illegal 
        aliens'' each place such term appears and inserting 
        ``undocumented foreign nationals''.
            (8) Section 411(d) of the Personal Responsibility and Work 
        Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (8 U.S.C. 1621(d)) is 
        amended in the subsection heading by striking ``Illegal 
        Aliens'' and inserting ``Undocumented Foreign Nationals''.
            (9) Section 106(e) of the Public Works Employment Act of 
        1976 (42 U.S.C. 6705(e)) is amended in the subsection heading 
        by striking ``Illegal Aliens'' and inserting ``Undocumented 
        Foreign Nationals''.
            (10) Section 40125(a)(2) of title 49, United States Code, 
        is amended by striking ``illegal aliens'' and inserting 
        ``undocumented foreign nationals''.
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