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HR8172119th CongressWALLET

Federal Benefits Repatriation Verification Act of 2026

Sponsored By: Representative Fischbach, Michelle [R-MN-7]

Introduced

Summary

Would cap how much noncitizen federal benefit recipients can send abroad and build a Treasury database to enforce that cap. The bill would set a $1,000-per-12-month limit on repatriation by anyone receiving Federal benefits and make compliance a condition of continued eligibility, with annual certification required.

Show full summary
  • Families and households receiving Federal benefits: A covered noncitizen could not transfer more than $1,000 in any 12-month period while getting Federal public benefits. Failing to certify compliance or exceeding the limit would make the individual ineligible for those benefits.
  • Financial and remittance providers: Banks and remittance services must report transfers involving covered individuals and run real-time checks against the Treasury Repatriation Verification Database before completing transfers. Institutions that violate reporting or verification rules face civil penalties up to $25,000 per violation and higher penalties for willful or repeated violations.
  • Federal and State agencies: The Treasury would create and maintain a secure centralized database with IDs, transaction records, real-time totals, and compliance flags. Agencies administering Federal or federally funded benefits must coordinate with Treasury to verify transfers and enforce eligibility rules.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

2 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 2 costs, 0 mixed.

New $1,000 remittance limit for noncitizens

If enacted, this would bar a noncitizen who gets Federal benefits from sending more than $1,000 abroad in any 12-month period while they receive benefits. Covered programs would include Social Security Act benefits, SNAP, TANF, Medicaid, federal housing aid, unemployment insurance, and similar programs. You would have to certify each year that you stayed under the limit as part of eligibility reviews. Breaking the rule would make you ineligible for Federal public benefits, could stop benefits until you comply, and agencies could recover payments made while you were noncompliant. These rules would start two years after enactment.

Treasury database and bank reporting rules

If enacted, the Treasury would build a secure central database of covered people and their repatriation transfers and attempted transfers. Banks, money transmitters, and cryptocurrency platforms would have to check that database in real time before processing a transfer for a covered individual. Institutions would deny and report any transfer that would put someone over the $1,000 limit, and the Treasury would set reporting and verification rules within 12 months. Institutions that fail to comply could face civil fines up to $25,000 per violation. These rules would start two years after enactment.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Fischbach, Michelle [R-MN-7]

MN • R

Cosponsors

  • Rep. Stauber, Pete [R-MN-8]

    MN • R

    Sponsored 4/2/2026

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

View on Congress.gov
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