Title: New Deal for New Americans Act of 2019
Policy area: Immigration

Summary:
New Deal for New Americans Act of 2019
This bill provides assistance to immigrants and addresses issues related to naturalization.
The bill establishes the National Office of New Americans to promote and support immigrant integration and encourage the pursuit of U.S. citizenship among immigrants.
The bill also establishes grant programs for eligible entities that provide (1) legal services for immigrants, (2) English language education that focuses on integrating students into society, and (3) workforce development training that supports the economic integration of immigrants. The bill also reauthorizes the Citizenship and Integration Grant Program within U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
USCIS may establish a nonprofit entity to spur innovation in the expansion of citizenship preparation programs and to support assistance for immigrants seeking permanent resident status or citizenship.
The bill also requires the Department of Homeland Security to (1) report to Congress before increasing fees for immigration adjudication and naturalization services above the levels of such fees on January 1, 2019, and (2) waive or reduce certain immigration-related fees for low-income aliens.
The bill also (1) waives the English proficiency requirement for the naturalization of certain permanent residents, (2) repeals the public charge ground for deportation, (3) requires states to provide for automatic voter registration to qualifying new citizens unless that individual declines, and (4) sets a floor of 110,000 to the maximum number of refugees who may be admitted into the United States each year.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4928 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>






116th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 4928

To establish the National Office of New Americans, to reduce obstacles 
to United States citizenship, to support the integration of immigrants 
and refugees into the social, cultural, economic and civic life of our 
                 shared Nation, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            October 30, 2019

Ms. Meng (for herself, Ms. Jayapal, Mr. Garcia of Illinois, Ms. Clarke 
   of New York, Mr. Espaillat, Ms. Garcia of Texas, Ms. Haaland, Ms. 
Jackson Lee, Ms. Lee of California, Ms. Lofgren, Mr. Meeks, Mr. Nadler, 
Ms. Norton, Ms. Ocasio-Cortez, Ms. Omar, Ms. Pressley, Ms. Schakowsky, 
    Mr. Suozzi, Ms. Tlaib, Ms. Velazquez, Mrs. Watson Coleman, Mr. 
Cardenas, Ms. Titus, Mr. Pocan, Mr. Carson of Indiana, and Mr. Johnson 
 of Georgia) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
   Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committees on 
    Education and Labor, House Administration, Foreign Affairs, and 
 Homeland Security, 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 establish the National Office of New Americans, to reduce obstacles 
to United States citizenship, to support the integration of immigrants 
and refugees into the social, cultural, economic and civic life of our 
                 shared Nation, 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 ``New Deal for New Americans Act of 
2019''.

SEC. 2. TABLE OF CONTENTS.

    The table of contents for this Act is as follows:

Sec. 1. Short title.
Sec. 2. Table of contents.
                 TITLE I--NEW AMERICANS AND INTEGRATION

Sec. 101. National office of new Americans.
Sec. 102. Appointment and duties of director, deputy directors and 
                            associate director.
Sec. 103. Federal initiative on new Americans.
 TITLE II--PROGRAMS TO PROMOTE CITIZENSHIP, INTEGRATION, AND PROSPERITY

Sec. 200. Sense of Congress regarding access to counsel.
Sec. 201. Legal services and immigration assistance grants.
Sec. 202. English as a gateway grants.
Sec. 203. Workforce development and prosperity grants.
Sec. 204. Appropriations authorized for existing citizenship grants.
Sec. 205. Consideration of grant recipients.
Sec. 206. Establishment of United States Citizenship and Integration 
                            Foundation.
Sec. 207. Gifts to Foundation.
Sec. 208. Purposes.
Sec. 209. Authorized activities.
Sec. 210. Council of directors.
Sec. 211. Powers.
Sec. 212. Effective date.
Sec. 213. Authorization of appropriations for Foundation and pilot 
                            program.
Sec. 214. Pilot program to promote immigrant integration at State and 
                            local levels.
              TITLE III--REDUCING BARRIERS TO CITIZENSHIP

Sec. 301. Immigration service fees.
Sec. 302. Reduce financial obstacles to naturalization.
Sec. 303. Waiver of English requirement for senior new Americans.
Sec. 304. Naturalization for certain United States high school 
                            graduates.
Sec. 305. Family integration.
Sec. 306. Revision of grounds for deportation.
Sec. 307. Waiver to ensure access to citizenship.
Sec. 308. Naturalization ceremonies.
Sec. 309. National citizenship promotion program.
Sec. 310. Mission of United States citizenship and immigration 
                            services.
Sec. 311. Automatic registration of eligible individuals.
Sec. 312. Department of Homeland Security assistance in registration.
Sec. 313. Voter protection and security in automatic registration.
Sec. 314. Effective date.
             TITLE IV--REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT AND INTEGRATION

Sec. 401. Minimum number of refugees to be admitted.
Sec. 402. Pre-arrival English language and work orientation training 
                            for approved refugee applicants.
Sec. 403. Update of reception and placement grants.
Sec. 404. Case management.
Sec. 405. Increase in cash payments.

                 TITLE I--NEW AMERICANS AND INTEGRATION

SEC. 101. NATIONAL OFFICE OF NEW AMERICANS.

    (a) Establishment of the National Office of New Americans.--There 
is established in the Executive Office of the President the ``National 
Office of New Americans'' (in this title referred to as the 
``Office'').
    (b) Office Leadership.--
            (1) There shall be at the head of the Office a Director of 
        the National Office of New Americans.
            (2) There shall be in the Office a Deputy Director for 
        Citizenship and Inclusion and a Deputy Director for Workforce 
        and Economy.
    (c) Bureau of State and Local Affairs.--There is established a 
Bureau of State and Local Affairs within the Office which shall be 
headed by an Associate Director of State and Local Affairs.
    (d) Access by Congress.--The location of the Office for New 
Americans in the Executive Office of the President shall not be 
construed as affecting access by the Congress or Committees of the 
House or Senate to--
            (1) information, documents and studies in the possession 
        of, or conducted by or at the direction of the Director; or
            (2) personnel of the National Office of New Americans.

SEC. 102. APPOINTMENT AND DUTIES OF DIRECTOR, DEPUTY DIRECTORS AND 
              ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR.

    (a) Director.--The Director shall be appointed by the President, by 
and with the advice and consent of the Senate.
    (b) Deputy Directors.--The Deputy Directors and Associate Director 
shall be appointed by the President in consultation with the Director.
    (c) Limitation.--No person shall serve as Director, Deputy Director 
or Associate Director while serving in any other position in the 
Federal Government.
    (d) Responsibilities.--
            (1) The Director shall--
                    (A) establish policies, objectives and priorities 
                with regard to immigrant and refugee integration for 
                the Office;
                    (B) with the assistance of the Deputy Directors and 
                Associate Director, carry out the functions of the 
                Office as described in paragraph (e);
                    (C) serve as the Chair of the Initiative for New 
                Americans;
                    (D) make recommendations to the President regarding 
                changes in the organization, management, programs and 
                budget of the Federal departments and agencies in order 
                to promote the integration of immigrants and refugees;
                    (E) consult, support and coordinate with State and 
                local governments in their efforts to promote United 
                States citizenship and integration of immigrants and 
                refugees; and
                    (F) serve as a member of the Domestic Policy 
                Council and the National Economic Council.
            (2) The Deputy Director for Citizenship and Inclusion 
        shall, among other duties as assigned by the Director, assist 
        the Director to promote access to United States citizenship and 
        inclusion of immigrants and refugees in the social, economic 
        and civic life of their communities and the Nation.
            (3) The Deputy Director for Workforce and Economy shall, 
        among other duties as assigned by the Director, assist the 
        Director to promote the participation of immigrants and 
        refugees in the United States workforce and increase the 
        contributions of immigrants and refugees to the United States 
        economy.
            (4) The Associate Director of State and Local Affairs 
        shall, among other duties as assigned by the Director, assist 
        the Director in coordinating the efforts of State and local 
        entities to support the economic, linguistic and civic 
        integration of immigrants, refugees and their children.
    (e) Functions.--The functions of the Office are--
            (1) to promote and support immigrant and refugee 
        integration and inclusion in society;
            (2) to ensure the Federal Government and its agencies and 
        departments promote the pursuit of United States citizenship 
        among immigrants and refugees;
            (3) to ensure access to quality English language learning 
        programs that increase for adult English language learners 
        their--
                    (A) employment and career prospects and economic 
                integration; and
                    (B) social integration in their local communities 
                and participation in civic life, including their 
                engagement with State and local governments, schools, 
                and private and nonprofit community institutions;
            (4) to provide equal access to workforce development 
        programs, including by ensuring that such programs meet the 
        demand and unique language, training and educational needs of 
        immigrants and refugees;
            (5) to oversee and coordinate the efforts of Federal, 
        State, and local entities to ensure the effective social, 
        economic, linguistic, and civic integration of immigrants, 
        refugees and their children;
            (6) to provide advice and leadership to the President, 
        Congress, and other Federal Government officials on the 
        challenges and opportunities facing such entities with regards 
        to immigrant and refugee integration;
            (7) to cooperate closely with the Office of Management and 
        Budget and other relevant executive agencies and departments to 
        analyze the impact of immigration policies of immigrant and 
        refugee integration on the Federal budget;
            (8) to evaluate the scale, quality, and effectiveness of 
        Federal Government efforts concerning immigrant and refugee 
        social and economic integration, including access to United 
        States citizenship, English language learning and workforce 
        development programs;
            (9) to identify the anticipated effects of new Federal 
        policies on existing integration efforts and advise the 
        President on how to address any potential integration needs or 
        impacts resulting from such policies;
            (10) to consult on a biannual basis with State and local 
        government officials on the immigrant and refugee integration 
        challenges and opportunities facing States and units of local 
        government;
            (11) to consult with the Secretaries and Directors 
        identified in title II on the administration of the grant 
        programs established by such title; and
            (12) to submit to the President and the appropriate 
        congressional committees a biannual report that describes the 
        activities of the Office and the results of the consultation 
        process provided in paragraphs (10) and (11).
    (f) Powers of the Director.--In carrying out the responsibilities 
in subsection (d) and the functions of the office in subsection (e), 
the Director may--
            (1) select, appoint, employ, and fix compensation of such 
        officers and employees as may be necessary to carry out the 
        functions of the Office under this title;
            (2) direct, with the concurrence of the Secretary of a 
        department or head of an agency, the temporary reassignment 
        within the Federal Government of personnel employed by such 
        department or agency;
            (3) use for administrative purposes, on a reimbursable 
        basis, the available service, equipment, personnel, and 
        facilities of Federal, State, and local agencies;
            (4) procure the services of experts and consultants in 
        accordance with section 3109 of title 5, United States Code, 
        relating to appointments in the Federal service, at rates of 
        compensation for individuals not to exceed the daily equivalent 
        of the rate of pay payable for GS-18 of the General Schedule 
        under section 5332 of title 5, United States Code;
            (5) accept and use donations of property from Federal, 
        State and local government agencies;
            (6) use the mail in the same manner as other departments 
        and agencies of the executive branch; and
            (7) monitor the implementation of the Federal Government's 
        integration-related activities, including--
                    (A) conducting program and performance audits and 
                evaluations; and
                    (B) requesting assistance from the Inspector 
                General of the relevant agency in such audits and 
                evaluations.

SEC. 103. FEDERAL INITIATIVE ON NEW AMERICANS.

    (a) Establishment.--
            (1) In general.--The Director shall establish within the 
        National Office of New Americans a Federal Initiative on New 
        Americans (in this title referred to as the ``Initiative'').
            (2) Deadline for establishment.--The Initiative shall be 
        fully operational not later than 6 months after the 
        confirmation of the Director of the Office.
    (b) Purpose.--The purposes of the Initiative are--
            (1) to establish a coordinated Federal program to respond 
        effectively to immigrant and refugee integration issues; and
            (2) to advise and assist the Director in identifying and 
        implementing the necessary policies to carry out such program.
    (c) Membership.--The Initiative shall be composed of--
            (1) the Director, who shall serve as Chair of the 
        Initiative;
            (2) the Secretary of the Treasury;
            (3) the Attorney General;
            (4) the Secretary of Commerce;
            (5) the Secretary of Labor;
            (6) the Secretary of Health and Human Services;
            (7) the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development;
            (8) the Secretary of Education;
            (9) the Secretary of Homeland Security;
            (10) the Secretary of State;
            (11) the Director of the Office of Refugee Resettlement;
            (12) the Director of the Small Business Administration;
            (13) the Director of the Office of Management and Budget;
            (14) the Director of the Bureau of Consumer Financial 
        Protection; and
            (15) any other individual the Director of the National 
        Office of New Americans invites to participate who occupies a 
        position listed under level I or II of the Executive Schedule, 
        as provided in sections 5312 and 5313 of title 5, United States 
        Code.
    (d) Duties.--
            (1) In general.--The Initiative shall meet at the call of 
        the Chair and perform such duties as the Chair reasonably 
        requires.
            (2) Coordinated response to immigrant and refugee issues.--
        The Initiative shall work with executive agencies and 
        departments to provide a coordinated Federal response to 
        adequately address issues that affect the lives of new 
        immigrants and refugees and local communities with growing 
        immigrant and refugee populations, including--
                    (A) English language learning;
                    (B) adult education and workforce training;
                    (C) occupational licensure;
                    (D) early childhood care and education;
                    (E) elementary, secondary and postsecondary 
                education;
                    (F) health care;
                    (G) naturalization;
                    (H) civic engagement;
                    (I) access to immigration assistance and legal 
                services;
                    (J) economic development; and
                    (K) other services the Director identifies as 
                aiding the integration of immigrants and refugees to 
                the United States.
            (3) Liaison with federal agencies.--
                    (A) In general.--Each member of the Initiative 
                shall serve as a liaison to the respective agency of 
                the member to ensure that the agency coordinates with 
                and responds to the recommendations of the Initiative 
                in a timely and meaningful manner.
                    (B) Duties of a liaison.--The duties of each member 
                as an agency liaison include--
                            (i) creating immigrant and refugee 
                        integration goals within the agency;
                            (ii) creating immigration integration 
                        indicators within the agency;
                            (iii) implementing the biannual 
                        consultation process described in section 
                        102(e)(10) by consulting with the State and 
                        local counterparts of the agency;
                            (iv) reporting to the Initiative on the 
                        progress made by the agency in achieving the 
                        goals and indicators described in clauses (i) 
                        and (ii); and
                            (v) providing the Director, upon request of 
                        the Director and subject to laws governing 
                        disclosure of information, such information as 
                        may be required to carry out the 
                        responsibilities of the Director and the 
                        functions of the Office.
            (4) Recommendations of the initiative.--
                    (A) Report.--The Director of the Initiative shall 
                submit to Congress a report that includes the 
                following:
                            (i) Findings from the consultation process 
                        described in section 102(e)(10), including a 
                        description of the immigrant and refugee 
                        integration challenges and opportunities facing 
                        States and units of local government.
                            (ii) Assessment of the effects of and 
                        recommendations with regard to pending 
                        legislation and executive branch policy 
                        proposals and their possible impacts on 
                        immigrant and refugee integration.
                            (iii) Suggestions for changes to Federal 
                        programs or policies that have a negative 
                        impact on immigrants, refugees and local 
                        communities with growing immigrant and refugee 
                        populations, in comparison to the general 
                        population.
                            (iv) Recommendations on legislative 
                        solutions to promote immigrant and refugee 
                        integration.
                    (B) Reporting deadline.--The Initiative shall 
                submit a report required by subparagraph (A) not later 
                than 12 months after the Initiative is fully 
                operational and every two years thereafter.

 TITLE II--PROGRAMS TO PROMOTE CITIZENSHIP, INTEGRATION, AND PROSPERITY

SEC. 200. SENSE OF CONGRESS REGARDING ACCESS TO COUNSEL.

    It is the sense of Congress that--
            (1) immigration law is so complex that it is nearly 
        impossible and therefore unjust for individuals to navigate the 
        immigration system without legal assistance or represent 
        themselves in immigration court;
            (2) noncitizens without legal counsel are far more likely 
        to be denied immigration benefits or be deported, which can 
        result in dire consequences, including the denial of legal 
        status or U.S. citizenship, loss of livelihood, separation from 
        or the inability to support one's family, life-threatening 
        danger in one's country of origin and a long-term or permanent 
        ban from being able to re-enter the United States; and
            (3) consistent with the American values of fairness and 
        justice and the Fifth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution which 
        guarantees everyone due process of law, anyone subject to 
        proceedings or the appeal thereof before an immigration judge 
        or the Attorney General should have the right of being 
        represented by counsel, including government-funded counsel, 
        regardless of one's ability to pay.

SEC. 201. LEGAL SERVICES AND IMMIGRATION ASSISTANCE GRANTS.

    (a) Authorization.--The Attorney General, acting through the 
Director of the Executive Office for Immigration Review, in 
consultation with the Director of the National Office of New Americans, 
shall award Legal Services and Immigration Assistance grants to 
eligible entities.
    (b) Eligibility.--An entity eligible to receive a grant under this 
section is a unit of local government, private organization, community-
based organization, or not-for-profit organization--
            (1) that provides authorized direct legal assistance to 
        immigrants and refugees in the United States;
            (2) in the case of any applicant who has previously 
        received a grant under this section, that uses matching funds 
        from non-Federal sources, which may include in-kind 
        contributions, equal to 25 percent of amount received under 
        this section;
            (3) that provides immigration education, outreach and 
        quality paralegal services to immigrants and refugees, in 
        coordination with immigration attorneys or representatives 
        accredited by the Recognition and Accreditation Program of the 
        Department of Justice Executive Office of Immigration Review; 
        and
            (4) that submits to the Director of the Executive Office 
        for Immigration Review an application at such time, in such 
        manner, and containing such information as such Director may 
        reasonably require.
    (c) Use of Funds.--
            (1) In general.--Funds awarded under this section may be 
        used to provide to an eligible individual legal assistance 
        relating to the immigration status of such individual, or 
        related services. Such assistance may include--
                    (A) outreach and education to identify and support 
                those in need of legal services;
                    (B) liaison services to connect individuals with 
                trusted legal service providers, social service 
                organizations and government representatives;
                    (C) screening to assess the eligibility of any 
                individual regarding any status under the immigration 
                laws;
                    (D) completing immigration applications;
                    (E) translation services;
                    (F) gathering of documents such as proof of 
                identification, employment, residence, family 
                relationships and tax payment;
                    (G) applying for any waivers for which an applicant 
                and qualifying family members may be eligible; and
                    (H) assisting an applicant for United States 
                citizenship with application preparation and the 
                citizenship application process, including support for 
                the English and civics exams.
            (2) Immigrants eligible for assistance.--A non-citizen is 
        eligible to receive the assistance described in paragraph (1) 
        if such non-citizen is--
                    (A) seeking to become a permanent resident or 
                naturalized citizen; or
                    (B) seeking relief from removal and authorization 
                to remain in the United States lawfully and 
                permanently.
    (d) Certification.--In order to receive a payment under this 
section, a participating entity shall submit to the Attorney General a 
certification that the proposed uses of grant funds by the entity are 
consistent with this section and meet all necessary criteria determined 
by the Attorney General in consultation with the Director of the 
National Office of New Americans.
    (e) Annual Report and Evaluation.--Not later than 90 days after the 
end of each fiscal year for which an entity receives grant funds under 
this section, the entity shall submit to the Director of Citizenship 
and Immigration Services the following:
            (1) A report that describes--
                    (A) the activities undertaken by the entity that 
                were funded entirely or partially by the grant funds;
                    (B) the geographic area or areas served by the 
                grant funds;
                    (C) an estimate of the number of non-citizens 
                living in the jurisdiction or service area of the 
                entity, which demonstrates that the entity made a 
                reasonable effort to determine such number;
                    (D) the number of non-citizens receiving assistance 
                that was funded entirely or partially by grant funds 
                received by the entity;
                    (E) a breakdown of the costs of each of the 
                services provided and the average per capita cost of 
                providing such assistance; and
                    (F) the primary languages spoken in the 
                jurisdiction or service area of the entity.
            (2) An evaluation of any program of the entity using grant 
        funds under this section, including an assessment of--
                    (A) the effectiveness of such program and 
                recommendations for improving the program; and
                    (B) whether or not the legal services needs of the 
                geographic area served have been met and if not, what 
                further assistance is required to meet such need.
    (f) State Defined.--In this section, the term ``State'' means each 
of the several States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of 
Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, 
and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.
    (g) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section $100,000,000 for fiscal years 
2021 through 2022.

SEC. 202. ENGLISH AS A GATEWAY GRANTS.

    (a) Authorization.--The Assistant Secretary for Career, Technical, 
and Adult Education at the Department of Education, in consultation 
with the Director of the National Office of New Americans, shall award 
English as a Gateway to Integration grants to eligible entities.
    (b) Eligibility.--An entity eligible to receive a grant under this 
section is a State or unit of local government, private organization, 
educational institution, community-based organization, or not-for-
profit organization--
            (1) in the case of any applicant who has previously 
        received a grant under this section, that uses matching funds 
        from non-Federal sources, which may include in-kind 
        contributions, equal to 25 percent of amount received from the 
        English as a Gateway to Integration program;
            (2) that submits to the Assistant Secretary an application 
        at such time, in such manner, and containing such information 
        as the Assistant Secretary may reasonably require, including--
                    (A) a description of the target population to be 
                served, including demographics, literacy levels and 
                English language levels of the target population; and
                    (B) the assessment and performance measures that 
                the grant recipient plans to use to evaluate the 
                English language learning progress of students and 
                overall success of the instruction and program;
            (3) demonstrate collaboration with public and private 
        entities to provide the instruction and assistance described in 
        subsection (c)(1);
            (4) provide English language programs that teach English 
        language skills to--
                    (A) lower-educated individuals;
                    (B) Limited English Proficient (LEP) individuals;
                    (C) parents who are caretakers of young children;
                    (D) that supports and promotes the social, economic 
                and civic integration of adult English language 
                learners and their families;
                    (E) that equips adult English language learners for 
                ongoing, independent study and learning beyond the 
                classroom or formal instruction provided by the entity; 
                and
                    (F) that incorporates the use of technology to help 
                students develop digital literacy skills;
            (5) are 1 of the 10 States with the highest rate of 
        foreign-born residents; or
            (6) have experienced a large increase in the population of 
        immigrants during the most recent 10-year period relative to 
        past migration patterns, based on data compiled by the Office 
        of Immigration Statistics or the United States Census Bureau.
    (c) Use of Funds.--
            (1) In general.--Funds awarded under this section shall be 
        used to provide English language instruction to adult English 
        language learners. Such instruction shall advance the 
        integration of students in order to help them--
                    (A) build their knowledge of United States history 
                and civics;
                    (B) to prepare for United States citizenship and 
                the naturalization process;
                    (C) gain digital literacy;
                    (D) understand and navigate the early childhood, K-
                12 and postsecondary education systems;
                    (E) gain financial literacy;
                    (F) build an understanding of the housing market 
                and systems in the United States;
                    (G) learn about and access the United States, 
                State, and local health care systems;
                    (H) prepare for a high school equivalency diploma 
                or post-secondary training or education; and
                    (I) prepare for and secure employment.
            (2) Design of program.--Funds awarded under this section 
        shall be used to support an instructional program that may 
        include the following elements:
                    (A) English language instruction in a classroom 
                setting, provided that such setting is in a geographic 
                location accessible to the population served.
                    (B) Online English language instruction and 
                distance learning platforms.
                    (C) Educational support and specialized instruction 
                for English language learners with low levels of 
                literacy in their first language.
                    (D) Other online and digital components, including 
                the use of mobile phones.
    (d) Certification.--In order to receive a payment under this 
section, a participating entity shall submit to the Assistant Secretary 
a certification that the proposed uses of grant funds by the entity are 
consistent with this section and meet all necessary criteria determined 
by the Assistant Secretary.
    (e) Annual Report and Evaluation.--Not later than 90 days after the 
end of each fiscal year for which an entity receives grant funds under 
this section, the entity shall submit to the Assistant Secretary the 
following:
            (1) A report that describes--
                    (A) the activities undertaken by the entity that 
                were funded entirely or partially by the grant funds;
                    (B) the geographic area or areas served by the 
                grant funds;
                    (C) the number of immigrants in such areas;
                    (D) the primary languages spoken in such areas;
                    (E) the number of adult English language learners 
                receiving assistance that was funded entirely or 
                partially by grant funds received by the entity; and
                    (F) a breakdown of the costs of the instruction 
                services provided and the average per capita cost of 
                providing such instruction.
            (2) An evaluation of any program of the entity using grant 
        funds under this section, including an assessment of--
                    (A) the effectiveness of such program and 
                recommendations for improving the program;
                    (B) whether or not the English language instruction 
                needs of the geographic area served have been met and 
                if not, what further assistance is required to meet 
                such need; and
                    (C) the results of any assessment or evaluation of 
                progress or success described in subsection (b)(3)(B).
    (f) Definitions.--In this section, the following definitions apply:
            (1) The term ``State'' means each of the several States, 
        the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the 
        United States Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the 
        Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.
            (2) The terms ``limited English proficient'' and ``English 
        language learner'' describe an individual who does not speak 
        English as their primary language and who has a limited ability 
        to read, speak, write, or understand English.
            (3) The term ``adult English language learner'' refers to 
        an individual age 16 and older who is not enrolled in secondary 
        school and who is limited English proficient.
    (g) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section $100,000,000 for fiscal years 
2021 through 2022.

SEC. 203. WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AND PROSPERITY GRANTS.

    (a) Declaration of Policy.--It is the policy of the United States--
            (1) that adults have equitable access to education and 
        workforce programs that--
                    (A) help them learn basic skills in reading, 
                writing, math and the English language; and
                    (B) equip them with occupational skills needed to 
                secure or advance in employment, to fill employer 
                needs, and support themselves and their families;
            (2) to strengthen the economy by helping adults with 
        limited skills to attain industry-recognized postsecondary 
        credentials; and
            (3) that workforce programs for adults with limited skills 
        incorporate an integrated education and training approach that 
        allow adults to acquire basic skills while pursuing 
        occupational or industry specific training.
    (b) Authorization.--The Assistant Secretary for Career, Technical, 
and Adult Education at the Department of Education (referred to as the 
Assistant Secretary in this section), in consultation with the Director 
of the National Office of New Americans, shall award Workforce 
Development and Shared Prosperity grants, on a competitive basis, to 
States and local governments or other qualifying entities described in 
subsection (c), in collaboration with State and local governments.
    (c) Qualifying Entities.--Qualifying entities under this section 
may include--
            (1) an educational institution;
            (2) a private organization;
            (3) a community-based organization; or
            (4) a not-for-profit organization.
    (d) Eligibility.--A State or local government or qualifying entity 
in collaboration with a State or local government is eligible to 
receive a grant under this section provided that the State or local 
government or entity--
            (1) supports and promotes the economic integration of 
        immigrants and refugees and their families;
            (2) has expertise in workforce development and adult 
        education for the purpose of developing and implementing State 
        or local programs of integrated education and training;
            (3) in carrying out the grant program, includes at least 
        one entity--
                    (A) with expertise in workforce development for 
                immigrants and refugees; and
                    (B) with expertise in adult education of immigrants 
                and refugees;
            (4) uses matching funds from non-Federal sources, which may 
        include in-kind contributions, equal to 25 percent of the 
        amount received from the Workforce Development and Shared 
        Prosperity grants program; and
            (5) submits to the Assistant Secretary an application at 
        such time, in such manner, and containing such information as 
        the Assistant Secretary may reasonably require, including--
                    (A) a description of the target population to be 
                served, including demographics, English language 
                levels, educational levels, and skill levels of the 
                target population;
                    (B) the specific integrated education and training 
                instructional model to be implemented;
                    (C) how the program will be designed and 
                implemented by educators with expertise in adult 
                education, English language instruction and 
                occupational skills training;
                    (D) how the program will prepare students to 
                receive a high school equivalency credential;
                    (E) how the program will prepare students to 
                receive a postsecondary credential;
                    (F) the occupations or industry for which the 
                program will prepare students for employment;
                    (G) evidence of employer demand for the skills or 
                occupational training offered by the grant program;
                    (H) the extent to which the program reduces the 
                time required for students to acquire English and 
                workforce skills;
                    (I) how the program will increase digital literacy 
                skills;
                    (J) how the program will provide student support 
                services including guidance counseling in order to 
                promote student success; and
                    (K) the assessment and performance measures that 
                the grant recipient plans to use to evaluate--
                            (i) the progress of adult learners in 
                        acquiring basic skills such as reading, 
                        writing, math and the English language; and
                            (ii) the success of the grant program to 
                        prepare students for employment and to help 
                        them find employment or advance in employment.
    (e) Certification.--In order to receive a payment under this 
section, a participating entity shall submit to the Assistant Secretary 
a certification that the proposed uses of grant funds by the entity are 
consistent with this section and meet all necessary criteria determined 
by the Assistant Secretary in consultation with the Director of the 
National Office of New Americans.
    (f) Technical Assistance.--The Assistant Secretary shall provide 
technical assistance to adult education providers on how to provide 
integrated education and training.
    (g) Annual Report and Evaluation.--Not later than 90 days after the 
end of each fiscal year for which an entity receives grant funds under 
this section, the entity shall submit to the Assistant Secretary the 
following:
            (1) A report that describes--
                    (A) the activities undertaken by the entity that 
                were funded entirely or partially by the grant funds;
                    (B) the geographic area or areas served by the 
                grant funds;
                    (C) the number of immigrants in such areas;
                    (D) the primary languages spoken in such areas; and
                    (E) a breakdown of the costs of each of the 
                services provided and the average per capita cost of 
                providing such services.
            (2) An evaluation of any program of the entity using grant 
        funds under this section, including an assessment of--
                    (A) the effectiveness of such program and 
                recommendations for improving the program;
                    (B) whether or not the legal services needs of the 
                geographic area served have been met and if not, what 
                further assistance is required to meet such need; and
                    (C) the results of any assessment or evaluation of 
                progress or success described in subsection (c)(5)(I).
    (h) Definitions.--In this section, the following definitions apply:
            (1) The term ``State'' means each of the several States, 
        the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the 
        United States Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the 
        Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.
            (2) The term ``integrated education and training'' means 
        instruction that provides adult education, literacy and English 
        language activities concurrently and contextually with 
        workforce preparation activities and workforce training for a 
        specific occupation or occupational cluster for the purpose of 
        educational and career advancement.
            (3) The term ``adult education'' means academic instruction 
        and education services below the postsecondary level that 
        increase an individual's ability to read, write, and speak 
        English and perform mathematics or other activities necessary 
        for the attainment of a secondary school diploma or its 
        recognized equivalent, transition to postsecondary education 
        and training, or obtain employment.
    (i) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section $100,000,000 for fiscal years 
2021 through 2022.

SEC. 204. APPROPRIATIONS AUTHORIZED FOR EXISTING CITIZENSHIP GRANTS.

    There are authorized to be awarded by the Department of Homeland 
Security to public or private nonprofit organizations for the purpose 
of Citizenship Education and Training (under the Catalog of Federal 
Domestic Assistance Number 97.010) an amount not less than $25,000,000.

SEC. 205. CONSIDERATION OF GRANT RECIPIENTS.

    With regard to grants administered and awarded to public or private 
nonprofit organizations by the Department of Homeland Security, unless 
otherwise required by law, the Secretary of the Department of Homeland 
Security, when making determinations about such grants, shall not 
consider the enrollment in or use by such organizations of E-Verify, 
the web-based system that the Department administers for employers that 
enroll in the system to confirm the eligibility of their employees to 
work in the United States.

SEC. 206. ESTABLISHMENT OF UNITED STATES CITIZENSHIP AND INTEGRATION 
              FOUNDATION.

    The Secretary, acting through the Director of United States 
Citizenship and Immigration Services and in coordination with National 
Office of New Americans, is authorized to establish a nonprofit 
corporation or a not-for-profit, public benefit, or similar entity, 
which shall be known as the ``United States Citizenship and Integration 
Foundation'' (in this title referred to as the ``Foundation'').

SEC. 207. GIFTS TO FOUNDATION.

    In order to carry out the purposes set forth in section 208, the 
Foundation may--
            (1) solicit, accept, and make gifts of money and other 
        property in accordance with section 501(c)(3) of the Internal 
        Revenue Code of 1986;
            (2) engage in coordinated work with the Department, 
        including United States Citizenship and Immigration Services 
        and the National Office of New Americans; and
            (3) accept, hold, administer, invest, and spend any gift, 
        devise, or bequest of real or personal property made to the 
        Foundation.

SEC. 208. PURPOSES.

    The purposes of the Foundation are--
            (1) to spur innovation in the promotion and expansion of 
        citizenship preparation programs for lawful permanent 
        residents;
            (2) to evaluate and identify best practices in citizenship 
        promotion and preparation and to make recommendations to the 
        Department and the National Office for New Americans about how 
        to bring such best practices to scale;
            (3) to support direct assistance for noncitizens seeking 
        lawful permanent resident status, or naturalization as a United 
        States citizen; and
            (4) to coordinate immigrant integration with State and 
        local entities.

SEC. 209. AUTHORIZED ACTIVITIES.

    The Foundation shall carry out its purpose by--
            (1) making United States citizenship instruction and 
        naturalization application services accessible to low-income 
        and other underserved lawful permanent resident populations;
            (2) developing, identifying, and sharing best practices in 
        United States citizenship promotion and preparation;
            (3) supporting innovative and creative solutions to 
        barriers faced by those seeking naturalization;
            (4) increasing the use of, and access to, technology in 
        United States citizenship preparation programs;
            (5) engaging receiving communities in the United States 
        citizenship and civic integration process;
            (6) administering the New Citizens Award Program to 
        recognize, in each calendar year, not more than 10 United 
        States citizens who--
                    (A) have made outstanding contributions to the 
                United States; and
                    (B) have been naturalized during the 10-year period 
                ending on the date of such recognition;
            (7) fostering public education and awareness;
            (8) coordinating its immigrant integration efforts with 
        United States Citizenship and Immigration Services and the 
        National Office of New Americans; and
            (9) awarding grants to State and local governments under 
        section 208.

SEC. 210. COUNCIL OF DIRECTORS.

    (a) Members.--To the extent consistent with section 501(c)(3) of 
the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, the Foundation shall have a Council 
of Directors (in this title referred to as the ``Council'', which shall 
be comprised of--
            (1) the Director of United States Citizenship and 
        Immigration Services;
            (2) the Director of the National Office of New Americans; 
        and
            (3) 10 directors, appointed by the ex-officio directors 
        designated in paragraphs (1) and (2), from national private and 
        public nonprofit organizations that promote and assist 
        permanent residents with naturalization.
    (b) Appointment of Executive Director.--The Council shall appoint 
an Executive Director, who shall oversee the day-to-day operations of 
the Foundation.

SEC. 211. POWERS.

    The Executive Director is authorized to carry out the purposes set 
forth in section 208 on behalf of the Foundation by--
            (1) accepting, holding, administering, investing, and 
        spending any gift, devise, or bequest of real or personal 
        property made to the Foundation;
            (2) entering into contracts and other financial assistance 
        agreements with individuals, public or private organizations, 
        professional societies, and government agencies to carry out 
        the functions of the Foundation;
            (3) entering into such other contracts, leases, cooperative 
        agreements, and other transactions as the Executive Director 
        considers appropriate to carry out the activities of the 
        Foundation; and
            (4) charging such fees for professional services furnished 
        by the Foundation as the Executive Director determines 
        reasonable and appropriate.

SEC. 212. EFFECTIVE DATE.

    The Foundation shall be established and operational within 12 
months of enactment of this Act.

SEC. 213. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS FOR FOUNDATION AND PILOT 
              PROGRAM.

    There is authorized to be appropriated for the first two fiscal 
years after the date of enactment of this Act such sums as may be 
necessary to establish the Foundation and the pilot program as 
described in section 212 of this Act. Such amounts may be invested and 
any amounts resulting from such investments shall remain available for 
the operations of the Foundation and the pilot program without further 
appropriation.

SEC. 214. PILOT PROGRAM TO PROMOTE IMMIGRANT INTEGRATION AT STATE AND 
              LOCAL LEVELS.

    (a) Grants Authorized.--The Chief of the United States Citizenship 
and Immigration Services' Office of Citizenship, in coordination with 
the National Office of New Americans (in this title referred to as the 
``Chief''), shall establish a pilot program through which the Chief may 
award grants, on a competitive basis, to States and local governments 
or other qualifying entities, in collaboration with State and local 
governments--
            (1) to establish New Immigrant Councils to carry out 
        programs to integrate new immigrants; or
            (2) to carry out programs to integrate new immigrants.
    (b) Application.--A State or local government desiring a grant 
under this section shall submit an application to the Chief at such 
time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Chief may 
reasonably require, including--
            (1) a proposal to meet an objective or combination of 
        objectives set forth in subsection (d)(3);
            (2) the number of new immigrants in the applicant's 
        jurisdiction; and
            (3) a description of the challenges in introducing and 
        integrating new immigrants into the State or local community.
    (c) Authorized Activities.--A grant awarded under this subsection 
may be used--
            (1) to form a New Immigrant Council, which shall--
                    (A) consist of between 15 and 19 individuals, 
                inclusive, from the State, local government, or 
                qualifying organization;
                    (B) include, to the extent practicable, 
                representatives from--
                            (i) business;
                            (ii) faith-based organizations;
                            (iii) civic organizations;
                            (iv) philanthropic organizations;
                            (v) nonprofit organizations, including 
                        those with legal and advocacy experience 
                        working with immigrant communities;
                            (vi) key education stakeholders, such as 
                        State educational agencies, local educational 
                        agencies, community colleges, and teachers;
                            (vii) State adult education offices;
                            (viii) State or local public libraries; and
                            (ix) State or local governments; and
                    (C) meet not less frequently than once each 
                quarter;
            (2) to provide subgrants to local communities, city 
        governments, municipalities, nonprofit organizations (including 
        veterans' and patriotic organizations), or other qualifying 
        entities;
            (3) to develop, implement, expand, or enhance a 
        comprehensive plan to introduce and integrate new immigrants 
        into the State by--
                    (A) improving English language skills;
                    (B) engaging caretakers with limited English 
                proficiency in their child's education through 
                interactive parent and child literacy activities;
                    (C) improving and expanding access to workforce 
                training programs;
                    (D) teaching United States history, civics 
                education, citizenship rights, and responsibilities;
                    (E) promoting an understanding of the form of 
                government and history of the United States and the 
                principles of the Constitution;
                    (F) improving financial literacy; and
                    (G) focusing on other key areas of importance to 
                integration in our society; and
            (4) to engage receiving communities in the citizenship and 
        civic integration process by--
                    (A) increasing local service capacity;
                    (B) building meaningful connections between newer 
                immigrants and long-time residents;
                    (C) communicating the contributions of receiving 
                communities and new immigrants; and
                    (D) engaging leaders from all sectors of the 
                community.
    (d) Reporting and Evaluation.--
            (1) Annual report.--Each grant recipient shall submit an 
        annual report to the Chief that describes--
                    (A) the activities undertaken by the grant 
                recipient, including how such activities meet the goals 
                of the Office, the Foundation, and the comprehensive 
                plan described in subsection (d)(3);
                    (B) the geographic areas being served;
                    (C) the number of immigrants in such areas; and
                    (D) the primary languages spoken in such areas.
            (2) Annual evaluation.--The Chief shall conduct an annual 
        evaluation of the grant program established under this 
        section--
                    (A) to assess and improve the effectiveness of such 
                grant program;
                    (B) to assess the future needs of immigrants and of 
                State and local governments related to immigrants; and
                    (C) to ensure that grantees recipients and 
                subgrantees are acting within the scope and purpose of 
                this subchapter.

              TITLE III--REDUCING BARRIERS TO CITIZENSHIP

SEC. 301. IMMIGRATION SERVICE FEES.

    (a) In General.--Subsection (m) of section 286 of the Immigration 
and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1356(m)) is amended to read as follows:
    ``(m) Immigration Service Fees.--
            ``(1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (2) and 
        notwithstanding any other provision of law, all adjudication 
        fees as are designated by the Secretary of Homeland Security in 
        regulations shall be deposited as offsetting receipts into a 
        separate account entitled `Immigration Examinations Fee 
        Account' in the Treasury of the United States, whether 
        collected directly by the Secretary or through clerks of 
        courts.
            ``(2) Virgin islands and guam.--All fees received by the 
        Secretary of Homeland Security from applicants residing in the 
        Virgin Islands of the United States, or in Guam, under this 
        subsection shall be paid over to the treasury of the Virgin 
        Islands or to the treasury of Guam, respectively.
            ``(3) Restrictions.--All fees received by the Secretary of 
        Homeland Security from applicants residing in the Virgin 
        Islands of the United States, or in Guam, under this subsection 
        shall be prohibited for use to cover the cost associated with--
                    ``(A) the civil revocation of naturalization;
                    ``(B) Operation Second Look;
                    ``(C) Operation Janus;
                    ``(D) any and all activities and operations 
                conducted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, 
                Customs and Border Protection and Homeland Security 
                Investigations; and
                    ``(E) any other activity or operation that is not 
                directly related to adjudications for immigration 
                benefits.
            ``(4) Fees for adjudication and naturalization services.--
                    ``(A) In general.--Subject to subparagraph (B), the 
                Secretary of Homeland Security may set fees for 
                providing adjudication and naturalization services at a 
                level that will--
                            ``(i) ensure recovery of the full costs of 
                        providing such services, or a portion thereof, 
                        including the costs of naturalization and 
                        similar services provided without charge to 
                        asylum applicants or other immigrants; and
                            ``(ii) recover the full cost of 
                        administering the collection of fees under this 
                        paragraph, or a portion thereof.
                    ``(B) Report requirement before fee increase.--The 
                Secretary of Homeland Security may not increase any fee 
                under this paragraph above the level of such fee on 
                January 1, 2019, until--
                            ``(i) the Secretary submits to the 
                        Committee on the Judiciary of the Senate and 
                        the Committee on the Judiciary of the House of 
                        Representatives a report that--
                                    ``(I) identifies the direct and 
                                indirect costs associated with 
                                providing adjudication and 
                                naturalization services, and 
                                distinguishes such costs from 
                                immigration enforcement and national 
                                security costs;
                                    ``(II) identifies the costs 
                                allocable to providing premium 
                                processing services to business 
                                customers prescribed by section 286(u) 
                                of this Act; describes the extent to 
                                which the fee prescribed in that 
                                section is set at a level that ensures 
                                full recovery of those costs; and 
                                identifies the amount of funding that 
                                is being allocated for the 
                                infrastructure improvements in the 
                                adjudications and customer-service 
                                processes as prescribed by that 
                                section; and
                                    ``(III) contains information 
                                regarding the amount the fee will be 
                                increased; and
                            ``(ii) a period of 60 days has expired 
                        beginning on the date that the report in clause 
                        (i) is received by the committees described in 
                        such clause.
                    ``(C) Adjudications delay and backlog report.--The 
                Secretary of Homeland Security shall report to the 
                Committee on the Judiciary of the Senate and the 
                Committee on the Judiciary of the House of 
                Representatives on a quarterly basis the following--
                            ``(i) for adjudications, when the 
                        processing time of more than ten percent of any 
                        single category of immigration benefits 
                        surpasses the agency's stated processing goal 
                        as of January 1, 2019;
                            ``(ii) when the processing time of more 
                        than 5 percent of applications for legal 
                        permanent residence surpass 150 days; and
                            ``(iii) when the processing time of more 
                        than 5 percent of applications for 
                        naturalization surpass 150 days.
            ``(5) Fee waivers for adjudication and naturalization 
        services.--
                    ``(A) In general.--Notwithstanding the provisions 
                of this Act or any other law, the following fee waivers 
                shall apply:
                            ``(i) In the case of an alien whose income 
                        is less than 150 percent of the Federal poverty 
                        line, no fee shall be charged or collected for 
                        an application, petition, appeal, motion, 
                        service or other service described in section 
                        286(m) or for the biometrics capture or 
                        background check associated with such services.
                            ``(ii) In the case of an alien whose income 
                        is less than 250 percent of the Federal poverty 
                        line, not more than 50 percent of the 
                        applicable fee shall be charged or collected 
                        for an application, petition, appeal, motion, 
                        service or service described in section 286(m).
                            ``(iii) In the case of an alien under 
                        financial hardship due to extraordinary 
                        expenses or other circumstances affecting his 
                        or her financial situation to the degree that 
                        he or she is unable to pay the fee, no fee 
                        shall be charged or collected for an 
                        application, petition, appeal, motion, service 
                        or other service described in section 286(m) or 
                        for the biometrics capture or background check 
                        associated with such services.
                    ``(B) No fee charged for waiver request.--No fee 
                shall be charged for a fee waiver request described in 
                subparagraph (A).
                    ``(C) No waiver for certain fees.--The fee for 
                employment-based petitions and applications prescribed 
                by subsection (u) may not be waived.
                    ``(D) Means-tested benefits.--Notwithstanding any 
                other provision of law, the Secretary of Homeland 
                Security shall consider the receipt of means-tested 
                benefits as a criterion for the purpose of 
                demonstrating eligibility for a fee waiver under 
                subparagraph (A).
                    ``(E) Application for fee waiver.--An alien 
                requesting a waiver of fees under subparagraph (A) may 
                submit either a form as prescribed by the Secretary or 
                an applicant-generated, written request for permission 
                to have their immigration benefit request processed 
                without payment of the required fee.
                    ``(F) Federal poverty line defined.--In this 
                subsection, the term `Federal poverty line' has the 
                meaning given such term by the Director of the Office 
                of Management and Budget, as revised annually by the 
                Secretary of Health and Human Services in accordance 
                with section 673(2) of the Omnibus Budget 
                Reconciliation Act of 1981 (42 U.S.C. 9902).''.
    (b) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that--
            (1) the Secretary of Homeland Security should set fees 
        under section 286(m)(34) of the Immigration and Nationality Act 
        (8 U.S.C. 1356(m)(3)), as amended by subsection (a) of this 
        section, at a level that ensures recovery of only the direct 
        costs associated with the services described in such section 
        286(m)(34); and
            (2) Congress should appropriate to the Secretary of 
        Homeland Security such funds as may be necessary to cover--
                    (A) the indirect costs associated with the services 
                described in such section 286(m)(3);
                    (B) the adjudication of refugee and asylum 
                processing;
                    (C) the costs of administering the Systematic Alien 
                Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) Program;
                    (D) the adjudication of naturalization applications 
                not covered in full by the fees paid by applicants;
                    (E) the reduction or elimination of fees granted to 
                fee waiver applicants; and
                    (F) grants to public and private nonprofits for the 
                purposes of citizenship and training.
    (c) Technical Amendment.--Section 286 of the Immigration and 
Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1356) is amended--
            (1) in subsections (d), (e), (f), (h), (i), (j), (k), (l), 
        (n), (o), (q), (t), and (u), by striking ``Attorney General'' 
        each place it appears and inserting ``Secretary of Homeland 
        Security''; and
            (2) in subsection (r)--
                    (A) in paragraph (2), by striking ``Department of 
                Justice'' and inserting ``Department of Homeland 
                Security''; and
                    (B) in paragraphs (3) and (4), by striking 
                ``Attorney General'' each place it appears and 
                inserting ``Secretary of Homeland Security''.

SEC. 302. REDUCE FINANCIAL OBSTACLES TO NATURALIZATION.

    Section 316 of the Immigration and Nationality Act is amended by 
inserting after subsection (e) (and redesignating all that follows):
    ``(f) Fee.--The Secretary of Homeland Security shall impose a fee 
of no more than $50 for the consideration of an application for 
naturalization. Nothing in this paragraph shall be construed to limit 
the authority of the Secretary to set adjudication fees for other 
benefit applications other than naturalization in accordance with 
section 286(m).''.

SEC. 303. WAIVER OF ENGLISH REQUIREMENT FOR SENIOR NEW AMERICANS.

    Section 312 (8 U.S.C. 1423) is amended by striking subsection (b) 
and inserting the following:
    ``(b) The requirements under subsection (a) shall not apply to any 
person who--
            ``(1) is unable to comply with such requirements because of 
        physical or mental disability, including developmental or 
        intellectual disability; or
            ``(2) on the date on which the person's application for 
        naturalization is filed under section 334--
                    ``(A) is older than 65 years of age; and
                    ``(B) has been living in the United States for 
                periods totaling at least 5 years after being lawfully 
                admitted for permanent residence.
    ``(c) The requirement under subsection (a)(1) shall not apply to 
any person who, on the date on which the person's application for 
naturalization is filed under section 334--
            ``(1) is older than 50 years of age and has been living in 
        the United States for periods totaling at least 20 years after 
        being lawfully admitted for permanent residence;
            ``(2) is older than 55 years of age and has been living in 
        the United States for periods totaling at least 15 years after 
        being lawfully admitted for permanent residence; or
            ``(3) is older than 60 years of age and has been living in 
        the United States for periods totaling at least 10 years after 
        being lawfully admitted for permanent residence.
    ``(d) The Secretary of Homeland Security may waive, on a case-by-
case basis, the requirement under subsection (a)(2) on behalf of any 
person who, on the date on which the person's application for 
naturalization is filed under section 334--
            ``(1) is older than 60 years of age; and
            ``(2) has been living in the United States for periods 
        totaling at least 10 years after being lawfully admitted for 
        permanent residence.''.

SEC. 304. NATURALIZATION FOR CERTAIN UNITED STATES HIGH SCHOOL 
              GRADUATES.

    (a) In General.--Title III of the Immigration and Nationality Act 
(8 U.S.C. 1401 et seq.) is amended by inserting after section 320 the 
following:

``SEC. 321. CITIZENSHIP FOR CERTAIN UNITED STATES HIGH SCHOOL 
              GRADUATES.

    ``(a) Requirements Deemed Satisfied.--In the case of an alien 
described in subsection (b), the alien shall be deemed to have 
satisfied the requirements of section 312(a).
    ``(b) Aliens Described.--An alien is described in this subsection 
if the alien submits an application for naturalization under section 
334 that contains the following:
            ``(1) Transcripts from public or private schools in the 
        United States that demonstrate the following:
                    ``(A) The alien completed grades 9 through 12 in 
                the United States and was graduated with a high school 
                diploma.
                    ``(B) The alien completed a curriculum that 
                reflects knowledge of United States history, 
                Government, and civics.
            ``(2) A copy of the alien's high school diploma.''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of contents for the Immigration 
and Nationality Act is amended by inserting after the item relating to 
section 320 the following:

``Sec. 321. Citizenship for certain United States high school 
                            graduates.''.
    (c) Applicability.--The amendments made by this section shall take 
effect on the date of the enactment of this Act and shall apply to 
applicants for naturalization who apply for naturalization on or after 
such date.
    (d) Regulations.--The Secretary of Homeland Security shall 
promulgate regulations to carry out this section and the amendments 
made by this section not later than 180 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act.

SEC. 305. FAMILY INTEGRATION.

    Section 201 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1151) 
is amended by striking in subsection (b)(2)(A)(i) the number ``21'' and 
inserting the number ``18''.

SEC. 306. REVISION OF GROUNDS FOR DEPORTATION.

    Section 237(5) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 
1227(5)) is repealed.

SEC. 307. WAIVER TO ENSURE ACCESS TO CITIZENSHIP.

    The Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101 et seq.) is 
amended--
            (1) in section 237(a)(3)(D) (8 U.S.C. 1227(a)(3)(D)), by 
        inserting ``and willfully'' after ``falsely'' each place such 
        term appears;
            (2) in section 212(a)(6)(C)(ii) (8 U.S.C. 
        1182(a)(6)(C)(ii)), by inserting ``and willfully'' after 
        ``falsely'' each place such term appears;
            (3) in section 212(a)(6)(C)(ii)(I) (8 U.S.C. 
        1182(a)(6)(C)(ii)(I)), by striking ``or any other Federal or 
        State law'';
            (4) in section 212(a)(6)(C)(iii) (8 U.S.C. 
        1182(a)(6)(C)(iii)), by striking ``of clause (i)''; and
            (5) by amending section 212(i)(1) (8 U.S.C. 1182(i)(1)) to 
        read as follows:
            ``(1) The Attorney General or the Secretary of Homeland 
        Security may, in the discretion of the Attorney General or the 
        Secretary, waive the application of subsection (a)(6)(C)(ii) in 
        the case of an immigrant who is the parent, spouse, son, or 
        daughter of a United States citizen or of an alien lawfully 
        admitted for permanent residence, or an alien granted 
        classification under clause (iii) or (iv) of section 
        204(a)(1)(A), if it is established to the satisfaction of the 
        Attorney General or the Secretary that the admission to the 
        United States of such alien would not be contrary to the 
        national welfare, safety, or security of the United States.''.

SEC. 308. NATURALIZATION CEREMONIES.

    (a) In General.--The Chief of the Office of Citizenship in United 
States Citizenship and Immigration Services, in consultation with the 
Deputy Director for Citizenship and Inclusion of the National Office of 
New Americans as established in title I of this Act, the Director of 
the National Park Service, the Archivist of the United States, and 
other appropriate Federal officials, shall develop and implement a 
strategy to enhance the public awareness of naturalization ceremonies.
    (b) Venues.--In developing the strategy under subsection (a), the 
Chief and the Deputy Director shall consider the use of outstanding and 
historic locations as venues for select naturalization ceremonies.
    (c) Reporting Requirement.--The Secretary shall annually submit a 
report to Congress that contains--
            (1) the content of the strategy developed under subsection 
        (a); and
            (2) the progress made towards the implementation of such 
        strategy.

SEC. 309. NATIONAL CITIZENSHIP PROMOTION PROGRAM.

    (a) Establishment.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than January 1, 2020, the 
        Secretary of Homeland Security shall establish a program to 
        promote United States citizenship.
            (2) Designation.--The program required by paragraph (1) 
        shall be known as the ``Proud to Be a United States Citizen 
        Program'' (in this section referred to as the ``Program'').
    (b) Program Activities.--As part of the Program required by 
subsection (a), the Secretary of Homeland Security shall carry out 
outreach activities in accordance with subsection (c).
    (c) Outreach.--The Secretary of Homeland Security shall--
            (1) develop outreach materials targeted to noncitizens who 
        have been lawfully admitted for permanent residence to 
        encourage such aliens to apply to become citizens of the United 
        States;
            (2) make such outreach materials available through--
                    (A) public service announcements;
                    (B) advertisements; and
                    (C) such other media as the Secretary determines is 
                appropriate;
            (3) conduct outreach activities targeted to noncitizens 
        eligible to apply for naturalization that include a 
        communication by text, email and the United States postal 
        service that includes on paper or in electronic form--
                    (A) notice that the individual is possibly eligible 
                to apply for naturalization;
                    (B) information about the requirements of United 
                States citizenship;
                    (C) information about the benefits of United States 
                citizenship;
                    (D) a pre-filled naturalization application 
                containing the data the agency already has about the 
                individual;
                    (E) instructions about how to complete the 
                application; and
                    (F) information about where to get free or low-cost 
                assistance to apply for naturalization and to prepare 
                for the English and civics exams.

SEC. 310. MISSION OF UNITED STATES CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION 
              SERVICES.

    The Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 271(a)) is amended by 
inserting after section 271(a)(1) the following:
            ``(2) Mission.--The mission statement of United States 
        citizenship and immigration services shall read, `USCIS secures 
        America's promise as a Nation that welcomes of immigrants and 
        refugees by providing accurate and useful information to our 
        customers, granting humanitarian, immigration and citizenship 
        benefits, promoting an awareness and understanding of 
        citizenship, and ensuring the integrity of our immigration 
        system.'.''.

SEC. 311. AUTOMATIC REGISTRATION OF ELIGIBLE INDIVIDUALS.

    (a) Requiring States To Establish and Operate Automatic 
Registration System for the Newly Naturalized.--
            (1) In general.--The chief State election official of each 
        State shall establish and operate a system of automatic 
        registration for newly naturalized individuals to vote for 
        elections for Federal office in the State, in accordance with 
        the provisions of this part.
            (2) Definitions.--For the purpose of this section:
                    (A) The term ``automatic registration'' means a 
                system that registers an individual to vote in 
                elections for Federal office in a State, if eligible, 
                by transferring the information necessary for 
                registration from the Department of Homeland Security 
                to election officials of the State so that, unless the 
                individual affirmatively declines to be registered or 
                is determined to be ineligible for registration, the 
                individual will be registered to vote in such 
                elections.
                    (B) The term ``newly naturalized'' refers to an 
                individual with an approved application for 
                naturalization admitted for United States citizenship 
                who has taken the oath described in section 337 of the 
                Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1448) and 
                received a certificate of naturalization under section 
                338 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 
                1449).
    (b) Registration of Voters Based on Department of Homeland Security 
Records.--The chief State election official shall--
            (1) upon receiving information from the Secretary of the 
        Department of Homeland Security concerning a person who has 
        received a certificate of naturalization pursuant to section 
        338 of the Immigration and Nationality Act and who has not 
        declined such registration--
                    (A) ensure that such person fulfills any local or 
                State qualifications to register to vote related to 
                legal competency and to past criminal convictions; and
                    (B) determine whether such person is subject to 
                privacy protections for victims of domestic violence or 
                for people with sensitive or high-profile professions;
            (2) not later than 15 days after the Secretary of the 
        Department of Homeland Security has transmitted information 
        with respect to an individual pursuant to section 312, ensure 
        that the individual is registered to vote in elections for 
        Federal office in the State if the individual is not 
        disqualified from voting by reason of incompetency or past 
        criminal conviction;
            (3) not later than 45 days after the Secretary has 
        transmitted such information with respect to the individual, 
        send written notice to the individual, in addition to other 
        means of notice established by this part, of the individual's 
        voter registration status; and
            (4) exclude from all public availability or disclosure the 
        voter registration records of any such individuals who are 
        protected by applicable State or local laws that prevent 
        publication of the home address and other personally 
        identifying information about victims of domestic violence and 
        people with sensitive or high-profile professions.
    (c) Contents of Written Notice to Newly Registered Voters.--The 
written notice chief State election officials shall promptly send each 
individual whose information is transmitted by the Secretary of 
Homeland Security pursuant to this part shall include--
            (1) notice that the individual has been registered to vote;
            (2) the substantive qualifications of an elector in the 
        State as listed in the mail voter registration application form 
        for elections for Federal office prescribed pursuant to section 
        9 of the National Voter Registration Act of 1993, the 
        consequences of false registration, and a statement that the 
        individual should cancel registration if the individual does 
        not meet all those qualifications, and instructions for 
        cancelling registration; and
            (3) instructions for correcting any erroneous information 
        in the individual's voter registration record.
    (d) Treatment of Individuals Under 18 Years of Age.--A State may 
not refuse to treat an individual as an eligible individual for 
purposes of this part on the grounds that the individual is less than 
18 years of age at the time the Secretary receives information with 
respect to the individual, so long as the individual is at least 16 
years of age at such time.

SEC. 312. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY ASSISTANCE IN REGISTRATION.

    (a) In General.--In accordance with this part, the Secretary of the 
Department of Homeland Security shall assist the State's chief election 
official in registering to vote all newly naturalized individuals sworn 
in and issued a naturalization certificate by the Secretary.
    (b) Requirements for the Secretary.--
            (1) Instructions on automatic registration.--The Secretary 
        require each individual approved for naturalization to submit 
        an executed document at the time of taking of the oath 
        described in section 337 of the Immigration and Nationality Act 
        that--
                    (A) informs the individual of the substantive 
                qualifications of an elector in the State as listed in 
                the mail voter registration application form for 
                elections for Federal office prescribed pursuant to 
                section 9 of the National Voter Registration Act of 
                1993, the consequences of false registration, and that 
                the individual should decline to register if the 
                individual does not meet all those qualifications;
                    (B) informs the individual that voter registration 
                is voluntary, and neither registering nor declining to 
                register to vote will in any way affect the 
                individual's citizenship status or availability of 
                services or benefits, nor be used for other purposes;
                    (C) informs the individual that affiliation or 
                enrollment with a political party may be required in 
                order to participate in an election to select the 
                party's candidate in an election for Federal office, 
                and offers the option to individuals accepting voter 
                registration of affiliating or enrolling with a 
                political party;
                    (D) states that if the individual executes the 
                document but does not take an oath of allegiance to the 
                United States and is not issued a certificate of 
                naturalization, the individual shall not be registered 
                to vote;
                    (E) instructs individuals who accept voter 
                registration to provide their residential address or 
                coordinates if different from their mailing address on 
                file with USCIS;
                    (F) directs individuals to either sign in a 
                designated space to decline voter registration, or to 
                sign in a different designated space to attest that the 
                individual--
                            (i) affirms that information provided on 
                        the document is true and complete to the best 
                        of the individual's knowledge;
                            (ii) will fulfill nationally applicable 
                        age, citizenship, and residency requirements to 
                        vote upon the individual's naturalization; and
                            (iii) accepts voter registration if 
                        determined by State election officials to be 
                        eligible to register in the individual's State 
                        and municipality of residence; and
                    (G) provides a phone number and other widely 
                accessible means of contacting USCIS with questions 
                about or for assistance with completing sections of the 
                document concerning automatic voter registration, as 
                set forth in subsection (b)(3) of this section.
            (2) Information transmittal.--Before or upon the expiration 
        of the 15-day period which begins on the date a newly 
        naturalized individual returns an executed document described 
        in paragraph (1) to the Secretary, the Secretary shall transmit 
        to the appropriate State election official, in a format 
        compatible with the statewide voter database maintained under 
        section 303 of the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (52 U.S.C. 
        21083) whenever possible, the following information, unless the 
        individual declines to be registered to vote when executing the 
        document:
                    (A) The individual's given name(s) and surname(s).
                    (B) The individual's date of birth.
                    (C) The individual's residential address or 
                coordinates.
                    (D) Confirmation that the individual is a citizen 
                of the United States.
                    (E) The date on which the individual was sworn in 
                as a United States citizen.
                    (F) If available, the individual's signature in 
                electronic form.
                    (G) Information regarding the individual's 
                affiliation or enrollment with a political party, if 
                the individual provides such information.
            (3) Registration assistance.--The Secretary shall publish 
        information about and instructions for accepting or declining 
        automatic voter registration for newly naturalized United 
        States citizens on the USCIS website and in materials routinely 
        provided to approved applicants for United States citizenship; 
        and create a telephonic hotline staffed by live operators to 
        provide assistance with registration to approved applicants for 
        United States citizenship.

SEC. 313. VOTER PROTECTION AND SECURITY IN AUTOMATIC REGISTRATION.

    (a) Protections for Errors in Registration.--An individual shall 
not be prosecuted under any Federal or State law, adversely affected in 
any civil adjudication concerning immigration status or naturalization, 
or subject to an allegation in any legal proceeding that the individual 
is not a citizen of the United States on any of the following grounds:
            (1) The individual is not eligible to vote in elections for 
        Federal office but--
                    (A) was automatically registered to vote under this 
                title; or
                    (B) was automatically registered to vote under this 
                part and subsequently voted without willful intent to 
                do so unlawfully.
            (2) The individual was automatically registered to vote 
        under this part at an incorrect address.
            (3) The individual declined the opportunity to register to 
        vote or did not make an affirmation of citizenship, including 
        through automatic registration, under this part.
    (b) Limits on Use of Automatic Registration.--The automatic 
registration of any individual or the fact that an individual declined 
the opportunity to register to vote or did not make an affirmation of 
citizenship (including through automatic registration) under this part 
may not be used as evidence against that individual in any State or 
Federal law enforcement proceeding, and an individual's lack of 
knowledge or willfulness of such registration may be demonstrated by 
the individual's testimony alone.
    (c) Contributing Agencies' Protection of Information.--Nothing in 
this part authorizes the Department of Homeland Security to collect, 
retain, transmit, or publicly disclose any of the following, except to 
State election officials as directed in this part:
            (1) An individual's decision to decline to register to vote 
        or not to register to vote.
            (2) An individual's decision not to affirm his or her 
        citizenship.
            (3) Any information that a contributing agency transmits 
        pursuant to section 312(b)(3), except in pursuing the agency's 
        ordinary course of business.
    (d) Public Disclosure Prohibited.--With respect to any individual 
for whom any State election official receives information from the 
Department of Homeland Security, the State election officials shall not 
publicly disclose any of the following:
            (1) Any information not necessary to voter registration.
            (2) Any voter information otherwise shielded from 
        disclosure under State law or section 8(a) of the National 
        Voter Registration Act of 1993 (52 U.S.C. 20507(a)).
            (3) Any portion of the individual's social security number.
            (4) Any portion of the individual's motor vehicle driver's 
        license number.
            (5) The individual's signature.
            (6) The individual's telephone number.
            (7) The individual's email address.

SEC. 314. EFFECTIVE DATE.

    Sections 312, 313, and 314 shall go into effect beginning January 
1, 2021.

             TITLE IV--REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT AND INTEGRATION

SEC. 401. MINIMUM NUMBER OF REFUGEES TO BE ADMITTED.

    Section 207(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 
1157(a)) is amended by inserting after ``in any fiscal year after 
fiscal year 1982 shall be such number as the President determines,'' 
the following: ``except that in any fiscal year after fiscal year 2018, 
such number may not be less than 110,000''.

SEC. 402. PRE-ARRIVAL ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND WORK ORIENTATION TRAINING 
              FOR APPROVED REFUGEE APPLICANTS.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of State shall establish overseas 
refugee training programs to offer English as a second language and 
work orientation training options for refugees who have been approved 
for admission to the United States before their departure for the 
United States.
    (b) Design and Implementation.--In designing and implementing the 
programs referred to in subsection (a), the Secretary shall consult 
with or use--
            (1) nongovernmental or international organizations with 
        direct ties to the United States refugee resettlement program; 
        and
            (2) nongovernmental or international organizations with 
        appropriate expertise in developing curriculum and teaching 
        English as a second language.
    (c) Impact on Processing Times.--The Secretary shall ensure that 
such training programs are strictly optional, occur within applicable 
processing times and do not delay or prevent the departure for the 
United States of refugees who have been approved for admission to the 
United States.
    (d) Timeline for Implementation.--
            (1) Initial implementation.--Not later than 1 year after 
        the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall 
        ensure that such training programs are fully and continually 
        operational in at least 3 refugee processing regions.
            (2) Additional implementation.--Not later than 2 years 
        after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary 
        shall notify the appropriate congressional committees that such 
        training programs are fully and consistently operational in 5 
        refugee processing regions.
    (e) GAO Report.--Not later than 4 years after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States 
shall conduct a study on the implementation of this section, including 
an assessment of the quality of English as a second language curriculum 
and instruction, the benefits of the work orientation and English as a 
second language training program to refugees, and recommendations on 
whether such programs should be continued, broadened, or modified, and 
shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report on 
the findings of such study.
    (f) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this section shall be 
construed to require that a refugee participate in such a training 
program as a precondition for the admission to the United States of 
such refugee.

SEC. 403. UPDATE OF RECEPTION AND PLACEMENT GRANTS.

    Beginning with fiscal year 2020, the Secretary of State shall, when 
setting the amount of the reception and placement grants for refugees, 
ensure that--
            (1) the grant amount is adjusted so that it is adequate to 
        provide for the anticipated initial resettlement needs of 
        refugees, including adjusting the amount for inflation and the 
        cost of living;
            (2) the administrative proportion of the grant is provided 
        at the beginning of the fiscal year to each national 
        resettlement agency that is sufficient to ensure adequate local 
        and national capacity to serve the initial resettlement needs 
        of refugees the Secretary anticipates the agency will resettle 
        throughout the fiscal year; and
            (3) additional amounts are provided to each national 
        resettlement agency promptly upon the arrival of refugees that, 
        exclusive of the amounts provided pursuant to paragraph (2), 
        are sufficient to meet the anticipated initial resettlement 
        needs of such refugees and support local and national 
        operational costs in excess of the estimates described in 
        paragraph (1).

SEC. 404. CASE MANAGEMENT.

    (a) In General.--
            (1) Establishment of grant program.--The Director of the 
        Office of Refugee Resettlement shall make grants to national 
        resettlement agencies to operate a case management system to 
        assist qualified individuals in accessing services, benefits, 
        and assistance for which they are eligible that are provided 
        by--
                    (A) the Office of Refugee Resettlement (the 
                ``Office'');
                    (B) other Federal, State, or local agencies; and
                    (C) private or nonprofit organizations.
            (2) Qualified individuals.--Subject to paragraphs (3) and 
        (4), any individual who was at any time eligible for 
        resettlement, acculturation, or subsistence services provided 
        by the Office shall be qualified to receive the case management 
        services described in paragraph (1).
            (3) Period of qualification.--Except as provided in 
        paragraph (4), an individual described in paragraph (2) shall 
        be qualified to receive the case management services described 
        in paragraph (1) during the period beginning on the date such 
        individual was determined to be eligible for resettlement, 
        acculturation, or subsistence services provided by the Office, 
        and continuing for 1 year after the date on which such 
        individual ceases to be eligible for such resettlement, 
        acculturation, or subsistence service.
            (4) Exceptions for exceptional circumstances.--
                    (A) In general.--Notwithstanding paragraph (3), an 
                individual described in subparagraph (B) shall be 
                qualified to receive the case management services 
                described in paragraph (1) during the period beginning 
                on the date on which such individual was determined 
                eligible for resettlement, acculturation, or 
                subsistence services provided by the Office, and 
                continuing for 3 years after the date on which such 
                individual ceases to be eligible for such resettlement, 
                acculturation, or subsistence services.
                    (B) Exceptional circumstances.--An individual 
                described in paragraph (2) may be treated in accordance 
                with subparagraph (A) if such individual--
                            (i) is elderly;
                            (ii) has extraordinary resettlement or 
                        acculturation needs that impede such 
                        individual's ability to achieve durable self-
                        sufficiency;
                            (iii) is a refugee who was resettled from a 
                        situation of protracted displacement;
                            (iv) is a member of a family caring for an 
                        unattached refugee minor; or
                            (v) at the time of entry--
                                    (I) had a disability or serious 
                                medical condition;
                                    (II) had mental health conditions;
                                    (III) was part of a household 
                                headed by a single parent; or
                                    (IV) had been the victim of a 
                                severe form of violence.
            (5) Definition of resettlement, acculturation, or 
        subsistence services.--For the purposes of this section, the 
        term, ``resettlement, acculturation, or subsistence services'' 
        shall include all of the services provided by the Office to 
        aliens, with the exception of the case management services 
        provided under paragraph (1).
    (b) Savings Clause.--Nothing in this section shall be construed as 
affecting the authority of the Director under section 412(e)(7)(A) of 
the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1522(e)(7)(A)), or of any 
other section of such Act, to provide case management services to 
individuals who have been in the United States for longer than 36 
months.

SEC. 405. INCREASE IN CASH PAYMENTS.

    (a) In General.--Section 412 of the Immigration and Nationality Act 
(8 U.S.C. 1522) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a)(1)(B), by adding at the end the 
        following:
                            ``(iv) Subject to the availability of funds 
                        appropriated for this purpose, assistance and 
                        social services for employment, health and 
                        living expenses shall be available for a period 
                        of not less than 12 months.'';
            (2) in subsection (a)(5), by adding at the end the 
        following: ``Subject to the availability of funds appropriated 
        for this purpose, assistance and services shall be made 
        available to refugees for a period of not less than 12 
        months.''; and
            (3) in subsection (e)(1)--
                    (A) by striking ``(1)'' and inserting ``(1)(A)''; 
                and
                    (B) by adding at the end the following:
                    ``(B) Subject to the availability of funds 
                appropriated for this purpose, such assistance shall be 
                provided for a minimum of 12 months beginning with the 
                first month in which such refugee entered the United 
                States.''.
    (b) Effective Date.--The amendments made by subsection (a) shall 
become effective on the earlier of--
            (1) the first day of the first fiscal year that begins 
        after the date of the enactment of this Act; or
            (2) the date on which a final rule is promulgated to 
        implement this section.
    (c) Rule of Construction.--The 12-month specification contained in 
the amendments made by subsection (a) is a minimum standard for the 
provision of services to the refugee community. No part of this Act 
shall be interpreted as limiting or reducing assistance already 
provided for a period longer than 12 months.
                                 <all>