[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2051 Introduced in Senate (IS)]








109th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 2051

 To extend eligibility for certain Federal benefits to citizens of the 
                       Freely Associated States.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           November 17, 2005

 Mr. Akaka (for himself and Mr. Inouye) introduced the following bill; 
     which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To extend eligibility for certain Federal benefits to citizens of the 
                       Freely Associated States.

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

SECTION 1. EXCEPTION FOR CITIZENS OF FREELY ASSOCIATED STATES.

    (a) In General.--Section 402(a)(2) of the Personal Responsibility 
and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (8 U.S.C. 1612(a)(2)) 
is amended by adding at the end the following:
                    ``(M) Exception for citizens of freely associated 
                states.--With respect to eligibility for benefits for 
                the specified Federal programs described in paragraph 
                (3), paragraph (1) shall not apply to any individual 
                who lawfully resides in the United States (including 
                territories and possessions of the United States) in 
                accordance with--
                            ``(i) section 141 of the Compact of Free 
                        Association between the Government of the 
                        United States and the Government of the 
                        Federated States of Micronesia, approved by 
                        Congress in the Compact of Free Association 
                        Amendments Act of 2003;
                            ``(ii) section 141 of the Compact of Free 
                        Association between the Government of the 
                        United States and the Government of the 
                        Republic of the Marshall Islands, approved by 
                        Congress in the Compact of Free Association 
                        Amendments Act of 2003; or
                            ``(iii) section 141 of the Compact of Free 
                        Association between the Government of the 
                        United States and the Government of Palau, 
                        approved by Congress in Public Law 99-658 (100 
                        Stat. 3672).''.
    (b) Medicaid and TANF Exceptions.--Section 402(b)(2) of the 
Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 
(8 U.S.C. 1612(b)(2)) is amended by adding at the end the following:
                    ``(G) Medicaid and tanf exceptions for citizens of 
                freely associated states.--With respect to eligibility 
                for benefits for the programs defined in subparagraphs 
                (A) and (C) of paragraph (3) (relating to temporary 
                assistance for needy families and medicaid), paragraph 
                (1) shall not apply to any individual who lawfully 
                resides in the United States (including territories and 
                possessions of the United States) in accordance with a 
                Compact of Free Association referred to in subsection 
                (a)(2)(M).''.
    (c) Qualified Alien.--Section 431(b) of the Personal Responsibility 
and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (8 U.S.C. 1641(b)) is 
amended--
            (1) in paragraph (6), by striking ``or'' at the end;
            (2) in paragraph (7), by striking the period at the end and 
        inserting ``; or''; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(8) an individual who lawfully resides in the United 
        States (including territories and possessions of the United 
        States) in accordance with a Compact of Free Association 
        referred to in section 402(a)(2)(M).''.
    (d) Conforming Amendment.--Section 1108 of the Social Security Act 
(42 U.S.C. 1308) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (f), in the matter preceding paragraph 
        (1), by striking ``subsection (g)'' and inserting ``subsections 
        (g) and (h)''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following:
    ``(h) The limitations of subsections (f) and (g) shall not apply 
with respect to medical assistance provided to an individual described 
in section 431(b)(8) of the Personal Responsibility and Work 
Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996.''.
    (e) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this Act take effect on 
the date of enactment of this Act and apply to benefits and assistance 
provided on or after that date.
                                 <all>