Title: Protecting Benefits for Elderly Refugees and Refugees with Disabilities During COVID–19 Act of 2020
Policy area: Immigration

Summary:
Protecting Benefits for Elderly Refugees and Refugees with Disabilities During COVID-19 Act of 2020
This bill extends the eligibility period for certain aliens to receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits. The bill also waives naturalization fees for SSI recipients.
Currently, certain aliens, such as refugees and victims of trafficking, are eligible to receive SSI benefits for a seven-year period. For such an alien whose eligibility expired after January 31, 2020, this bill extends that alien's eligibility to September 30, 2021.
Furthermore, during the period from January 31, 2020, to September 30, 2021, such a qualifying alien's eligibility for SSI benefits shall not expire while the alien has (1) a pending naturalization application, (2) an application on appeal, or (3) an accepted application but the alien has not yet sworn in as a U.S. citizen.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 4307 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

<DOC>






116th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 4307

     To amend section 402 of the Personal Responsibility and Work 
Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 to extend the eligibility period 
 for supplemental security income benefits for refugees, asylees, and 
     certain other humanitarian immigrants, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             July 23, 2020

  Mrs. Murray introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
                  referred to the Committee on Finance

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
     To amend section 402 of the Personal Responsibility and Work 
Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 to extend the eligibility period 
 for supplemental security income benefits for refugees, asylees, and 
     certain other humanitarian immigrants, 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 ``Protecting Benefits for Elderly 
Refugees and Refugees with Disabilities During COVID-19 Act of 2020''.

SEC. 2. EXTENSION OF ELIGIBILITY PERIOD FOR SSI BENEFITS FOR CERTAIN 
              RECIPIENTS.

    (a) In General.--Section 402(a)(2)(M) of the Personal 
Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (8 
U.S.C. 1612(a)(2)(M)) is amended--
            (1) in clause (i)(I), by inserting ``and the period 
        beginning on January 31, 2020, and ending on September 30, 
        2021,'' after ``fiscal years 2009 through 2011,''; and
            (2) in clause (ii), by inserting ``and the period beginning 
        on January 31, 2020, and ending on September 30, 2021,'' after 
        ``fiscal years 2009 through 2011''.
    (b) Special Rule in Case of Appealed Naturalization Application.--
Section 402(a)(2)(M)(ii) of the Personal Responsibility and Work 
Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (8 U.S.C. 1612(a)(2)(M)(ii)), as 
amended by subsection (a)(2), is amended--
            (1) in the heading, by inserting ``, appealed,'' after 
        ``pending'';
            (2) by inserting ``or on appeal'' after ``that is 
        pending''; and
            (3) by inserting ``, appealed,'' after ``such application 
        is pending''.
    (c) Conforming Amendment.--Section 402(a)(2)(M) of such Act is 
amended, in the subparagraph heading, by striking ``through fiscal year 
2011''.
    (d) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall take 
effect on January 31, 2020.

SEC. 3. NATURALIZATION APPLICATION FEE WAIVER.

    (a) In General.--Notwithstanding sections 286(m) and 344(a) of the 
Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1356(m) and 8 U.S.C. 
1455(a)), no fee shall be charged or collected from an applicant 
described in subsection (b) in conjunction with--
            (1) filing an application for naturalization;
            (2) conducting a hearing on such application; or
            (3) the issuance of a certificate of naturalization upon 
        being granted United States citizenship.
    (b) Applicant Described.--An applicant is described in this section 
if the applicant--
            (1) is receiving payments under the supplemental security 
        income program established under title XVI of the Social 
        Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1381 et seq.); and
            (2) is applying, or has applied, to become a naturalized 
        citizen of the United States in accordance with section 334 of 
        the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1445).
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