This bill would remove many immigration-based limits on access to federal benefit programs for people who are not U.S. citizens but are lawfully present. It repeals several sections of the 1996 Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act and parts of Public Law 119-21 that limited eligibility for programs such as Medicaid, the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and SNAP (food assistance). The bill replaces the word "alien" with "noncitizen" throughout the law and expands the categories of "qualified noncitizens" who are treated as lawfully present, including people with special immigrant juvenile status, certain pending U nonimmigrant applicants, people granted DACA, and others federally authorized to be present. It also restores rules allowing certain noncitizens to qualify for the premium tax credit for Marketplace health coverage, changes child nutrition language so States shall not deny school and other child nutrition benefits based on immigration status, and adds noncitizens to eligible categories for some housing assistance. The bill directs federal agencies to issue implementation guidance within 180 days and says the amendments take effect on enactment and apply to services furnished on or after 180 days after that guidance is issued.
No publicly available information on a Congressional Budget Office cost estimate in the bill text. The bill text does state that some provisions added by Public Law 119-21 would be repealed and that the unobligated balances of amounts appropriated or otherwise made available by certain repealed sections are rescinded.
No publicly available information in the bill text about proponents' stated arguments or justifications.
No publicly available information in the bill text about opponents' stated arguments or objections.