Compact Impact Fairness Act of 2021

Bill: 117-s-1930
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Hirono, Mazie K. [D-HI]
Introduced: 2021-05-27
Policy area: Immigration
Subjects: Foreign labor

Immigration status and procedures

Marshall Islands

Micronesia

Palau

Poverty and welfare assistance
Latest action: action_date: 2021-05-27
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

Summaries:
action_date: 2021-05-27
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p><strong>Compact Impact Fairness Act of 2021</strong></p> <p>This bill expands the eligibility of citizens of the Freely Associated States lawfully residing in the United States for certain federal public benefits. </p> <p>Currently, citizens of the Freely Associated States (Micronesia, the Marshall Islands, and Palau) may live, study, and work in the United States as nonimmigrants. However, such individuals are generally ineligible for most federal public benefits, with Medicaid being one exception. Under this bill, such individuals may be eligible for certain federal public benefits, such as benefits under the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program. </p> <p>Furthermore, current law generally bars individuals from receiving federal means-tested public benefits for the five-year period starting from the individual's entry into the United States. Under this bill, citizens of the Freely Associated States living in the United States shall not be subject to this bar. </p>

tv_txt: II 117th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 1930 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES May 27, 2021 Ms. Hirono introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance A BILL To amend the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act of 1996 to clarify that citizens of the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the Republic of Palau who are lawfully residing in the United States are eligible for certain Federal public benefits.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Compact Impact Fairness Act of 2021 . 2. Expansion of Federal public benefit eligibility for citizens of Freely Associated States (a) In general Section 402 of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 ( 8 U.S.C. 1612 ) is amended— (1) in subsection (a)(2), by adding at the end the following: (N) Exception for citizens of freely associated states With respect to eligibility for benefits for any specified Federal program, paragraph (1) shall not apply to any individual who lawfully resides in the United States in accordance with the Compacts of Free Association between the Government of the United States and the Governments of the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the Republic of Palau. ; and (2) in subsection (b)(2)(G)— (A) in the subparagraph heading, by striking Medicaid exception for and inserting Exception for ; and (B) by striking the designated Federal program defined in paragraph (3)(C) (relating to the Medicaid program) and inserting any designated Federal program . (b) Exception to 5-Year wait requirement Section 403(b)(3) of such Act ( 8 U.S.C. 1613(b)(3) ) is amended by striking , but only with respect to the designated Federal program defined in section 402(b)(3)(C) . (c) Definition of qualified alien Section 431(b)(8) of such Act ( 8 U.S.C. 1641(b)(8) ) is amended by striking , but only with respect to the designated Federal program defined in section 402(b)(3)(C) (relating to the Medicaid program) .