Compact Impact Fairness Act of 2021
Bill: S.1930 | Sponsor: Sen. Hirono, Mazie K. (D-HI)
Policy area: Immigration

Summary:
Compact Impact Fairness Act of 2021
This bill expands the eligibility of citizens of the Freely Associated States lawfully residing in the United States for certain federal public benefits.
Currently, citizens of the Freely Associated States (Micronesia, the Marshall Islands, and Palau) may live, study, and work in the United States as nonimmigrants. However, such individuals are generally ineligible for most federal public benefits, with Medicaid being one exception. Under this bill, such individuals may be eligible for certain federal public benefits, such as benefits under the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program.
Furthermore, current law generally bars individuals from receiving federal means-tested public benefits for the five-year period starting from the individual's entry into the United States. Under this bill, citizens of the Freely Associated States living in the United States shall not be subject to this bar.

To amend the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act of 1996 
  to clarify that 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 are eligible for certain Federal 
                            public benefits.

    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 ``Compact Impact Fairness Act of 
2021''.

SEC. 2. EXPANSION OF FEDERAL PUBLIC BENEFIT ELIGIBILITY FOR CITIZENS OF 
              FREELY ASSOCIATED STATES.

    (a) In General.--Section 402 of the Personal Responsibility and 
Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (8 U.S.C. 1612) is 
amended--
            (1) in subsection (a)(2), by adding at the end the 
        following:
                    ``(N) Exception for citizens of freely associated 
                states.--With respect to eligibility for benefits for 
                any specified Federal program, paragraph (1) shall not 
                apply to any individual who lawfully resides in the 
                United States in accordance with the Compacts of Free 
                Association between the Government of the United States 
                and the Governments of the Federated States of 
                Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and 
                the Republic of Palau.''; and
            (2) in subsection (b)(2)(G)--
                    (A) in the subparagraph heading, by striking 
                ``Medicaid exception for'' and inserting ``Exception 
                for''; and
                    (B) by striking ``the designated Federal program 
                defined in paragraph (3)(C) (relating to the Medicaid 
                program)'' and inserting ``any designated Federal 
                program''.
    (b) Exception to 5-Year Wait Requirement.--Section 403(b)(3) of 
such Act (8 U.S.C. 1613(b)(3)) is amended by striking ``, but only with 
respect to the designated Federal program defined in section 
402(b)(3)(C)''.
    (c) Definition of Qualified Alien.--Section 431(b)(8) of such Act 
(8 U.S.C. 1641(b)(8)) is amended by striking ``, but only with respect 
to the designated Federal program defined in section 402(b)(3)(C) 
(relating to the Medicaid program)''.
                                 <all>