[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2798 Introduced in House (IH)]

114th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 2798

 To modify provisions of law relating to refugee resettlement, and for 
                            other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             June 17, 2015

   Mr. Ellison (for himself, Ms. Moore, Mr. McGovern, Mr. Johnson of 
Georgia, Mr. McDermott, Mr. Takano, Mr. Gutierrez, Ms. Jackson Lee, Mr. 
Honda, Mr. Welch, Ms. Lee, Mr. Grijalva, Mr. Hastings, Ms. Norton, Mr. 
     Cicilline, Mr. Al Green of Texas, Mr. Conyers, Mrs. Davis of 
 California, and Ms. Judy Chu of California) introduced the following 
  bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in 
addition to the Committees on Foreign Affairs and Ways and Means, 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 modify provisions of law relating to refugee resettlement, 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; TABLE OF CONTENTS.

    (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Strengthening 
Refugee Resettlement Act''.
    (b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents for this Act is as 
follows:

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 2. Security checks.
Sec. 3. English language and work orientation training for approved 
                            refugee applicants.
Sec. 4. Lawful permanent resident status of refugees and aliens granted 
                            asylum.
Sec. 5. Update of reception and placement grants.
Sec. 6. Coordination of refugee program agencies.
Sec. 7. Case management.
Sec. 8. Increase in cash payments.
Sec. 9. Refugee integration grants.
Sec. 10. Matching grant program expansion.
Sec. 11. Domestic Emergency Refugee Resettlement Fund.
Sec. 12. Supplemental Security Income benefits.
Sec. 13. Making special immigrant juvenile status beneficiaries and 
                            unaccompanied children granted ``U'' visa 
                            protection eligible for refugee benefits.

SEC. 2. SECURITY CHECKS.

    (a) Sense of Congress.--Although effective security checks are 
needed to ensure that the United States and the Nation's refugee 
admissions program are adequately protected, it is the sense of the 
Congress that the failure to properly coordinate security and non-
security clearance procedures has had negative impacts on the 
processing of vulnerable individuals who are in need of, and eligible 
for, resettlement to the United States.
    (b) Review of Refugee Processing.--The Secretary of Homeland 
Security shall work with the heads of other relevant Federal agencies, 
including the Department of State, to conduct a review of refugee 
processing, including security clearances, with the goal of 
streamlining processing, consistent with maintaining thorough security 
vetting.
    (c) Report.--Not later than 60 days after the date of the enactment 
of this Act, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall submit to the 
Congress a report on the results of the review conducted under 
subsection (b). The report shall include a description of recommended 
changes to streamline processing and the costs associated with any 
unfunded needs.

SEC. 3. ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND WORK ORIENTATION TRAINING FOR APPROVED 
              REFUGEE APPLICANTS.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of State shall establish overseas 
refugee training programs to provide English as a second language and 
work orientation training 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 occur within applicable processing times and do 
not unduly delay 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 2 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. 4. LAWFUL PERMANENT RESIDENT STATUS OF REFUGEES AND ALIENS GRANTED 
              ASYLUM.

    (a) Admission of Emergency Situation Refugees.--Section 207(c) of 
the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1157(c)) is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (1)--
                    (A) by striking ``Attorney General'' the first time 
                it appears and inserting ``Secretary of Homeland 
                Security'';
                    (B) by striking ``Attorney General'' each 
                additional place it appears and inserting 
                ``Secretary''; and
                    (C) by striking ``(except as otherwise provided 
                under paragraph (3)) as an immigrant under this Act.'' 
                and inserting ``(except as provided under subsections 
                (b) and (c) of section 209) as an immigrant under this 
                Act. Notwithstanding any numerical limitations 
                specified in this Act, any alien admitted under this 
                paragraph shall be regarded as lawfully admitted to the 
                United States for permanent residence as of the date of 
                such alien's admission to the United States.'';
            (2) in paragraph (2)(A)--
                    (A) by striking ``(except as otherwise provided 
                under paragraph (3))'' and inserting ``(except as 
                provided under subsections (b) and (c) of section 
                209)''; and
                    (B) by striking the last sentence and inserting the 
                following: ``An alien admitted to the United States as 
                a refugee may petition for his or her spouse or child 
                to follow to join him or her in the United States at 
                any time after such alien's admission, notwithstanding 
                his or her treatment as a lawful permanent resident as 
                of the date of his or her admission to the United 
                States.'';
            (3) by striking paragraph (3);
            (4) by redesignating paragraph (4) as paragraph (3); and
            (5) in paragraph (3), as redesignated--
                    (A) by striking ``Attorney General'' the first 
                place it appears and inserting ``Secretary of Homeland 
                Security''; and
                    (B) by striking ``Attorney General'' each 
                additional place it appears and inserting 
                ``Secretary''.
    (b) Treatment of Spouse and Children.--Section 208(b)(3) of such 
Act (8 U.S.C. 1158(b)(3)) is amended--
            (1) by redesignating subparagraph (B) as subparagraph (E); 
        and
            (2) by inserting after subparagraph (A) the following:
                    ``(B) Petition.--An alien granted asylum under this 
                subsection may petition for the same status to be 
                conferred on his or her spouse or child at any time 
                after such alien is granted asylum whether or not such 
                alien has applied for, or been granted, adjustment to 
                permanent resident status under section 209.
                    ``(C) Permanent resident status.--Notwithstanding 
                any numerical limitations specified in this Act, a 
                spouse or child admitted to the United States as an 
                asylee following to join a spouse or parent previously 
                granted asylum shall be regarded as lawfully admitted 
                to the United States for permanent residence as of the 
                date of such spouse's or child's admission to the 
                United States.
                    ``(D) Application for adjustment of status.--A 
                spouse or child who was not admitted to the United 
                States pursuant to a grant of asylum, but who was 
                granted asylum under this subparagraph after his or her 
                arrival as the spouse or child of an alien granted 
                asylum under section 208, may apply for adjustment of 
                status to that of lawful permanent resident under 
                section 209 at any time after being granted asylum.''.
    (c) Refugees.--Section 209 of such Act (8 U.S.C. 1159) is amended 
to read as follows:

``SEC. 209. TREATMENT OF ALIENS ADMITTED AS REFUGEES AND ALIENS GRANTED 
              ASYLUM.

    ``(a) In General.--
            ``(1) Treatment of refugees.--Notwithstanding any numerical 
        limitations specified in this Act, any alien who has been 
        admitted to the United States under section 207 shall be 
        regarded as lawfully admitted to the United States for 
        permanent residence as of the date of such admission.
            ``(2) Treatment of spouse and children.--Notwithstanding 
        any numerical limitations specified in this Act, any alien 
        admitted to the United States under section 208(b)(3) as the 
        spouse or child of an alien granted asylum under section 
        208(b)(1) shall be regarded as lawfully admitted to the United 
        States for permanent residence as of the date of such 
        admission.
            ``(3) Adjustment of status.--The Secretary of Homeland 
        Security or the Attorney General, in the discretion of the 
        Secretary or the Attorney General, and under such regulations 
        as the Secretary or the Attorney General may prescribe, may 
        adjust, to the status of an alien lawfully admitted to the 
        United States for permanent residence, the status of any alien 
        who, while in the United States--
                    ``(A) is granted--
                            ``(i) asylum under section 208(b) (as a 
                        principal alien or as the spouse or child of an 
                        alien granted asylum); or
                            ``(ii) refugee status under section 207 as 
                        the spouse or child of a refugee;
                    ``(B) applies for such adjustment of status at any 
                time after being granted asylum or refugee status;
                    ``(C) is not firmly resettled in any foreign 
                country; and
                    ``(D) is admissible (except as otherwise provided 
                under subsections (b) and (c)) as an immigrant under 
                this Act at the time of examination for adjustment of 
                such alien.
            ``(4) Record.--Upon approval of an application under this 
        subsection, the Secretary of Homeland Security or the Attorney 
        General shall establish a record of the alien's admission for 
        lawful permanent residence as of the date such alien was 
        granted asylum or refugee status.
            ``(5) Document issuance.--An alien who has been admitted to 
        the United States under section 207 or 208 or who adjusts to 
        the status of a lawful permanent resident as a refugee or 
        asylee under this section shall be issued documentation 
        indicating that such alien is a lawful permanent resident 
        pursuant to a grant of refugee or asylum status.
    ``(b) Inapplicability of Certain Inadmissibility Grounds to 
Refugees, Aliens Granted Asylum, and Such Aliens Seeking Adjustment of 
Status to Lawful Permanent Resident.--Paragraphs (4), (5), and (7)(A) 
of section 212(a) shall not apply to--
            ``(1) any refugee under section 207;
            ``(2) any alien granted asylum under section 208; or
            ``(3) any alien seeking admission as a lawful permanent 
        resident pursuant to a grant of refugee or asylum status.
    ``(c) Waiver of Inadmissibility or Deportability for Refugees, 
Aliens Granted Asylum, and Such Aliens Seeking Adjustment of Status to 
Lawful Permanent Resident.--
            ``(1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (2), the 
        Secretary of Homeland Security or the Attorney General may 
        waive any ground of inadmissibility under section 212 or any 
        ground of deportability under section 237 for a refugee 
        admitted under section 207, an alien granted asylum under 
        section 208, or an alien seeking admission as a lawful 
        permanent resident pursuant to a grant of refugee or asylum 
        status if the Secretary or the Attorney General determines that 
        such waiver is justified by humanitarian purposes, to ensure 
        family unity, or is otherwise in the public interest.
            ``(2) Ineligibility.--A refugee under section 207, an alien 
        granted asylum under section 208, or an alien seeking admission 
        as a lawful permanent resident pursuant to a grant of refugee 
        or asylum status shall be ineligible for a waiver under 
        paragraph (1) if it has been established that the alien is--
                    ``(A) inadmissible under section 212(a)(2)(C) or 
                subparagraph (A), (B), (C), or (E) of section 
                212(a)(3);
                    ``(B) deportable under section 237(a)(2)(A)(iii) 
                for an offense described in section 101(a)(43)(B); or
                    ``(C) deportable under subparagraph (A), (B), (C), 
                or (D) of section 237(a)(4).''.
    (d) Technical Amendments.--
            (1) Aliens not subject to direct numerical limitations.--
        Section 201(b)(1)(B) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 
        U.S.C. 1151(b)(1)(B)) is amended to read as follows:
            ``(B) Aliens who are admitted to the United States as 
        permanent residents under section 207 or 208 or whose status is 
        adjusted under section 209.''.
            (2) Training.--Section 207(f)(1) of such Act (8 U.S.C. 
        1157(f)(1)) is amended by striking ``Attorney General'' and 
        inserting ``Secretary of Homeland Security''.
            (3) Table of contents.--The table of contents for such Act 
        is amended by striking the item relating to section 209 and 
        inserting the following:

``Sec. 209. Treatment of aliens admitted as refugees and aliens granted 
                            asylum.''.
    (e) Savings Provisions.--
            (1) In general.--Nothing in the amendments made by this 
        section may be construed to limit access to the benefits 
        described at chapter 2 of title IV of the Immigration and 
        Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1521 et seq.).
            (2) Clarification.--Aliens admitted for lawful permanent 
        residence under section 207 or 208 of the Immigration and 
        Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1157; 1158) or who adjust status to 
        lawful permanent resident under section 209 of such Act (8 
        U.S.C. 1159) shall be considered to be refugees and aliens 
        granted asylum in accordance with sections 402, 403, 412, and 
        431 of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity 
        Reconciliation Act of 1996 (8 U.S.C. 1612; 1613; 1622; 1641).
    (f) Effective Date.--This section, and the amendments made by this 
section, shall become effective on the earlier of--
            (1) the date that is 180 days after the date of the 
        enactment of this Act; or
            (2) the date on which a final rule is promulgated to 
        implement this section.

SEC. 5. UPDATE OF RECEPTION AND PLACEMENT GRANTS.

    Beginning with fiscal year 2016, 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. 6. COORDINATION OF REFUGEE PROGRAM AGENCIES.

    It is the sense of the Congress that--
            (1) the President should appoint a White House Coordinator 
        on Refugee Protection and grant such official the authority and 
        staff necessary to coordinate, prioritize, and lead efforts to 
        address refugee protection issues that involve multiple 
        agencies, including the refugee admissions program, and to 
        resolve interagency differences in a timely, efficient, and 
        effective manner; and
            (2) this position should be at a senior level and require 
        as a condition for appointment a significant level of prior 
        experience in the refugee protection field.

SEC. 7. 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) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out this section.
    (c) 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. 8. INCREASE IN CASH PAYMENTS.

    (a) 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.

SEC. 9. REFUGEE INTEGRATION GRANTS.

    (a) Establishment of Refugee Integration Grants.--The Director of 
the Office of Refugee Resettlement is authorized to award grants to 
community-based organizations, national nonprofit organizations having 
experience and expertise in immigration law and the legal, social, 
educational, or cultural needs of immigrants, and national resettlement 
agencies for the design and implementation of programs to offer 
training and orientation to newcomers to the United States to assist 
them in integrating into the civic life of the United States.
    (b) Services Funded.--Programs funded under subsection (a) shall be 
used--
            (1) to offer assistance and instruction to aliens described 
        in subsection (c), on--
                    (A) the naturalization process;
                    (B) the legal requirements for naturalization;
                    (C) rights and responsibilities of U.S. citizens;
                    (D) cultural orientation;
                    (E) English as a second language;
                    (F) civics and United States history;
                    (G) housing;
                    (H) transportation;
                    (I) recertification;
                    (J) employment training;
                    (K) mental health services;
                    (L) childcare services; and
                    (M) other topics the Director identifies as aiding 
                the orientation and adjustment of new arrivals to the 
                United States;
            (2) to offer orientation and assistance to Federal, State, 
        and local institutions that serve newcomers to the United 
        States so as to assist such institutions in meeting their 
        needs; and
            (3) to provide technical assistance and training to 
        community-based organizations providing instruction in English 
        as a second language, civics, and United States history and 
        technical assistance and training to community-based 
        organizations providing naturalization outreach and application 
        assistance.
    (c) Eligible Persons.--Persons eligible for assistance and 
instruction under this subsection include--
            (1) aliens admitted as refugees under section 207 of the 
        Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1157);
            (2) aliens granted asylum under section 208 of such Act (8 
        U.S.C. 1158);
            (3) aliens admitted as special immigrants from Iraq or 
        Afghanistan pursuant to section 1244 of the National Defense 
        Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 (Public Law 110-181; 122 
        Stat. 396);
            (4) any alien who was at any time eligible to receive 
        services from the Office of Refugee Resettlement; and
            (5) other aliens designated by the Director of the Office 
        of Refugee Resettlement.
    (d) Application for Grants.--Each entity desiring a refugee 
integration grant under this section shall submit an application to the 
Director at such time and in such manner as the Director may require.
    (e) Priority.--In selecting grantees, the Director shall give 
priority to organizations either with experience in resettling refugees 
or in administering services for refugees and asylum seekers.
    (f) Reports to Congress.--Beginning 180 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, the Director shall 
report to the Judiciary Committees of the Senate and the House of 
Representatives a report on the implementation of this section. The 
report shall include information regarding the grants issued pursuant 
to this section and the results of those grants.

SEC. 10. MATCHING GRANT PROGRAM EXPANSION.

    (a) Use of the Refugee Matching Grant Program.--
            (1) In general.--In recognition of the positive outcomes 
        achieved for individuals served through the refugee matching 
        grant program, under which Federal funds are matched by private 
        sector contributions of cash, goods, and volunteers, the 
        Director of the Office of Refugee Resettlement shall ensure 
        that the thresholds described in paragraph (2) are met with 
        respect to participation by eligible individuals in such 
        program.
            (2) Annual thresholds.--
                    (A) In general.--Subject to the availability of 
                funds appropriated for this purpose, the percentage of 
                eligible individuals who apply for services under the 
                matching grant program who shall be served through such 
                program is set at the following levels in each of the 
                following fiscal years--
                            (i) at least 60 percent in fiscal year 
                        2016;
                            (ii) at least 70 percent in fiscal year 
                        2017; and
                            (iii) at least 80 percent in fiscal year 
                        2018, and thereafter.
                    (B) Exceptions.--In determining the thresholds in 
                this paragraph, the Director shall exclude individuals 
                who are disabled, under the age of 18, or over the age 
                of 65 unless such individuals are being served as 
                members of an eligible family.
            (3) Length of eligibility for grant.--Individuals as 
        described in subparagraph (2)(B) shall be eligible for services 
        under the matching grant program, and therefore be expected to 
        achieve self-sufficiency, within 180 to 240 days of their 
        enrollment in the program.
            (4) Amount of grant.--
                    (A) Annual update.--Subject to the availability of 
                funds appropriated for this purpose, beginning with 
                fiscal year 2016, the Director shall, when setting the 
                amount of the matching grants, ensure that the grant 
                amount is adjusted annually so that it is adequate to 
                provide for services intended to help refugees become 
                self-sufficient within 180 to 240 days, including 
                adjusting the amount for inflation and the cost of 
                living.
                    (B) Assessment.--Not later than 30 days after the 
                date of enactment of this Act, the Director shall 
                undertake an assessment of the per capita amount that 
                is provided in the matching grant program. The 
                assessment shall--
                            (i) examine the adequacy of the current per 
                        capita grant amount to provide the assistance 
                        necessary to enable individuals who are served 
                        by the program to achieve self-sufficiency 
                        within 240 days;
                            (ii) determine the per capita grant amount 
                        that would be necessary in order to provide the 
                        assistance necessary to enable individuals who 
                        are served by the program achieve self-
                        sufficiency within 240 days; and
                            (iii) assess the potential impact of any 
                        other changes to the operation of the program 
                        that the Director or the Office's non-Federal 
                        partners suggest to improve the effectiveness 
                        of the program.
                    (C) Consultation with partners.--In conducting the 
                assessment referred to in subparagraph (B), the 
                Director shall consult with representatives of national 
                and local resettlement agencies with experience in 
                providing services under the matching grant program to 
                learn their views on the program, including their views 
                with respect to clauses (i) through (iv) of 
                subparagraph (B).
                    (D) Report to congress.--Not later than 120 days 
                after the date of enactment of this Act, the Director 
                shall report to the appropriate committees of Congress 
                the results of the assessment made pursuant to 
                subparagraph (B). Such report shall include--
                            (i) the Director's findings pursuant to 
                        subparagraph (B);
                            (ii) the amount of the per capita grant 
                        that will be provided beginning on the first 
                        day of the first fiscal year that begins after 
                        the date of enactment of this Act; and
                            (iii) a summary of the views expressed by 
                        the entities described in subparagraph (C).
                    (E) Grant amount in absence of report.--If for any 
                reason the report described in subparagraph (D) is not 
                filed with the appropriate committees of the Congress 
                on or before the required date for the submission of 
                such report, the per capita matching grant amount for 
                the first fiscal year that begins after the date of 
                enactment of this Act shall be set at the amount set 
                for such grant on September 30 of the previous fiscal 
                year and prorated to reflect a 180- to 240-day grant 
                period.

SEC. 11. DOMESTIC EMERGENCY REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT FUND.

    (a) In General.--There is established a Domestic Emergency Refugee 
Resettlement Fund that shall be available to the Director of the Office 
of Refugee Resettlement to meet unanticipated resettlement needs.
    (b) Drawdown of Funds.--Whenever the Director determines it to be 
important to the national interest, the Director is authorized to 
furnish on such terms and conditions as the Director may determine, 
assistance under this chapter for the purpose of meeting unexpected 
urgent resettlement needs of populations and communities served 
pursuant to this chapter, including communities experiencing high 
numbers of arrivals of refugees due to secondary migration.
    (c) Allowable Uses.--The Director may furnish assistance to 
eligible entities for the purposes of providing resettlement assistance 
to refugees, including transportation, housing, employment, health, 
mental health, English language training services, recertification, and 
other purposes as determined by the Director.
    (d) Eligible Entities Defined.--National resettlement agencies, 
community-based organizations, torture survivor rehabilitation centers 
and programs, and States.
    (e) Congressional Notification.--No amounts may be withdrawn from 
the fund authorized by subsection (a) unless the Director has 
determined that a domestic resettlement emergency exists and has 
certified such fact to appropriate committees of Congress.
    (f) Cap on Fund.--No funds may be appropriated which when added to 
the amounts previously appropriated but not yet obligated, would cause 
such amounts to exceed $50,000,000.
    (g) Authorization of Appropriations.--Funds appropriated pursuant 
to this section shall be available until expended.

SEC. 12. SUPPLEMENTAL SECURITY INCOME BENEFITS.

    Section 402(a)(2) of the Personal Responsibility and Work 
Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (8 U.S.C. 1612(a)(2)) is 
amended--
            (1) by amending subparagraph (A) to read as follows:
                    ``(A) Exception for refugees and asylees.--With 
                respect to the specified Federal programs described in 
                paragraph (3), paragraph (1) shall not apply to--
                            ``(i) an alien admitted to the United 
                        States as a refugee under section 207 of the 
                        Immigration and Nationality Act 8 U.S.C. 1157;
                            ``(ii) an alien granted asylum under 
                        section 208 of such Act 8 U.S.C. 1158;
                            ``(iii) an alien whose deportation is 
                        withheld under section 243(h) of such Act 8 
                        U.S.C. 1253 (as in effect immediately before 
                        the effective date of section 307 of division C 
                        of Public Law 104-208) or section 241(b)(3) of 
                        such Act 8 U.S.C. 1231(b)(3) (as amended by 
                        section 305(a) of division C of Public Law 104-
                        208);
                            ``(iv) an alien who is granted status as a 
                        Cuban and Haitian entrant (as defined in 
                        section 501(e) of the Refugee Education 
                        Assistance Act of 1980); or
                            ``(v) an alien who is admitted to the 
                        United States as an Amerasian immigrant 
                        pursuant to section 584 of the Foreign 
                        Operations, Export Financing, and Related 
                        Programs Appropriations Act, 1988 (as contained 
                        in section 101(e) of Public Law 100-202 and 
                        amended by the 9th proviso under migration and 
                        refugee assistance in title II of the Foreign 
                        Operations, Export Financing, and Related 
                        Programs Appropriations Act, 1989, Public Law 
                        100-461, as amended).''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following:
                    ``(N) SSI benefits for certain aliens and victims 
                of trafficking.--Beginning on the date of the enactment 
                of this subparagraph, any qualified alien (as defined 
                in section 431(b)), victim of trafficking in persons 
                (as defined in section 107(b)(1)(C) of division A of 
                the Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act 
                of 2000 (22 U.S.C. 7105(b)(1)(C))), or alien granted 
                status under section 101(a)(15)(T)(ii) of the 
                Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 
                1101(a)(15)(T)(ii)) rendered ineligible for the 
                specified Federal program described in paragraph (3)(A) 
                solely by reason of the termination of the 7-year 
                period described in subparagraph (A) prior to the 
                enactment of this subparagraph shall be eligible for 
                benefits under such program without regard to 
                subparagraph (A).''.

SEC. 13. MAKING SPECIAL IMMIGRANT JUVENILE STATUS BENEFICIARIES AND 
              UNACCOMPANIED CHILDREN GRANTED ``U'' VISA PROTECTION 
              ELIGIBLE FOR FOSTER CARE AND REFUGEE BENEFITS.

    (a) Eligibility for Benefits and Services.--Section 107(b)(1)(A) of 
the Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act of 2000 (22 
U.S.C. 7105(b)(1)(A)) is amended by inserting ``, an alien who has been 
granted special immigrant status under section 101(a)(27)(J) of the 
Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(27)(J)), a child who 
has been granted status under section 101(a)(15)(U) of the Immigration 
and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(15(U)),'' after ``trafficking in 
persons,''.
    (b) State Reimbursement.--Subject to the availability of funds 
appropriated for this purpose, if State foster care funds are expended 
on behalf of a child who has been granted special immigrant status 
under section 101(a)(27)(J) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 
U.S.C. 1101(a)(27)(J)), the Federal Government shall reimburse the 
State in which the child resides for such expenditures by the State.
                                 <all>