LIFT the BAR Act
Sponsored By: Representative Jayapal, Pramila [D-WA-7]
Introduced
Summary
Would expand access to federal safety-net programs for lawfully present noncitizens. It would also replace the term "alien" with "noncitizen" across major statutes and set a guidance timeline before new rules take effect.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
7 provisions identified: 6 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.
Restore Medicaid, CHIP, Medicare access
If enacted, this bill would undo many recent limits and restore prior eligibility rules for Medicaid, CHIP, and some Medicare rules for lawfully present noncitizens. It would expand the listed "qualified noncitizen" groups, including certain people treated as lawfully present for ACA purposes on or before January 1, 2025 and people with DACA, SIJS, or pending U nonimmigrant applications. The bill would change Medicaid's presence test to simply being "present in the United States" and would exclude Compact of Free Association (COFA) residents in States from a Medicaid expenditure rule. It would also rescind some unobligated balances tied to the earlier law and require agencies to issue guidance before changes apply.
Premium tax credits for low-income noncitizens
If enacted, the bill would add a special rule to make certain lawfully present noncitizens with household income at or below 100% of the poverty line count as having income equal to 100% of the poverty line when computing the premium tax credit. The rule applies when a person is lawfully present, lacks minimum essential coverage, and would have been ineligible for Medicaid under the noncitizen rules in effect on December 26, 2020. This rule would apply to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2025.
More child nutrition and SNAP access
If enacted, the bill would remove recent SNAP restrictions and make SNAP language refer to a "noncitizen lawfully present in the United States." It would rename "School Lunch and Breakfast Programs" to "Child Nutrition Programs" and bar States from denying child nutrition benefits because of citizenship or immigration status. These changes aim to protect access to free or reduced school meals and SNAP for eligible lawfully present noncitizen children and families.
Housing help for qualified noncitizens
If enacted, the bill would add a "qualified noncitizen" category to the list of people who can get housing assistance under federal housing law. That makes lawfully present noncitizens explicitly eligible for rental assistance, public housing, and related programs when they meet program rules. This change could lower housing costs for renters who meet the new definition.
Timing: agency guidance and delay
If enacted, agencies would have 180 days after enactment to issue guidance implementing the bill. The statutory changes would apply only to services furnished on or after 180 days after an agency issues that guidance. That timing gives agencies time to implement rules, but it also delays when households would actually receive restored benefits.
Limit sponsor repayment to fraud
If enacted, the bill would change the affidavit-of-support rule so a sponsor could be asked to repay only benefits that were obtained by fraud. The change narrows when sponsors can be held financially responsible for benefits received by the sponsored person.
Simplify immigration wording and reporting
If enacted, the bill would replace the word "alien" with "noncitizen" across Title IV and add a clear statutory definition of "noncitizen." It would also remove specific cross-references in a PRWORA reporting rule. These are definitional and paperwork changes meant to make eligibility language clearer.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Jayapal, Pramila [D-WA-7]
WA • D
Cosponsors
Rep. Sánchez, Linda T. [D-CA-38]
CA • D
Sponsored 6/24/2026
Rep. Scanlon, Mary Gay [D-PA-5]
PA • D
Sponsored 6/24/2026
Rep. Schakowsky, Janice D. [D-IL-9]
IL • D
Sponsored 6/24/2026
Rep. DeSaulnier, Mark [D-CA-10]
CA • D
Sponsored 6/24/2026
Rep. Dexter, Maxine [D-OR-3]
OR • D
Sponsored 6/24/2026
Rep. Doggett, Lloyd [D-TX-37]
TX • D
Sponsored 6/24/2026
Rep. Escobar, Veronica [D-TX-16]
TX • D
Sponsored 6/24/2026
Rep. Espaillat, Adriano [D-NY-13]
NY • D
Sponsored 6/24/2026
Rep. Foushee, Valerie P. [D-NC-4]
NC • D
Sponsored 6/24/2026
Rep. Frankel, Lois [D-FL-22]
FL • D
Sponsored 6/24/2026
Rep. Frost, Maxwell [D-FL-10]
FL • D
Sponsored 6/24/2026
Rep. García, Jesús G. "Chuy" [D-IL-4]
IL • D
Sponsored 6/24/2026
Rep. Garcia, Robert [D-CA-42]
CA • D
Sponsored 6/24/2026
Rep. Garcia, Sylvia R. [D-TX-29]
TX • D
Sponsored 6/24/2026
Rep. Goldman, Daniel S. [D-NY-10]
NY • D
Sponsored 6/24/2026
Rep. Gomez, Jimmy [D-CA-34]
CA • D
Sponsored 6/24/2026
Rep. Grijalva, Adelita S. [D-AZ-7]
AZ • D
Sponsored 6/24/2026
Rep. Hayes, Jahana [D-CT-5]
CT • D
Sponsored 6/24/2026
Rep. Huffman, Jared [D-CA-2]
CA • D
Sponsored 6/24/2026
Rep. Ivey, Glenn [D-MD-4]
MD • D
Sponsored 6/24/2026
Rep. Jackson, Jonathan L. [D-IL-1]
IL • D
Sponsored 6/24/2026
Rep. Jacobs, Sara [D-CA-51]
CA • D
Sponsored 6/24/2026
Rep. Johnson, Henry C. "Hank" [D-GA-4]
GA • D
Sponsored 6/24/2026
Rep. Kamlager-Dove, Sydney [D-CA-37]
CA • D
Sponsored 6/24/2026
Rep. Kelly, Robin L. [D-IL-2]
IL • D
Sponsored 6/24/2026
Rep. Khanna, Ro [D-CA-17]
CA • D
Sponsored 6/24/2026
Rep. Krishnamoorthi, Raja [D-IL-8]
IL • D
Sponsored 6/24/2026
Rep. Lee, Summer L. [D-PA-12]
PA • D
Sponsored 6/24/2026
Rep. Menendez, Robert [D-NJ-8]
NJ • D
Sponsored 6/24/2026
Rep. Adams, Alma S. [D-NC-12]
NC • D
Sponsored 6/24/2026
Rep. Amo, Gabe [D-RI-1]
RI • D
Sponsored 6/24/2026
Rep. Ansari, Yassamin [D-AZ-3]
AZ • D
Sponsored 6/24/2026
Rep. Balint, Becca [D-VT-At Large]
VT • D
Sponsored 6/24/2026
Rep. Barragán, Nanette Diaz [D-CA-44]
CA • D
Sponsored 6/24/2026
Rep. Bell, Wesley [D-MO-1]
MO • D
Sponsored 6/24/2026
Rep. Beyer, Donald S. [D-VA-8]
VA • D
Sponsored 6/24/2026
Rep. Bonamici, Suzanne [D-OR-1]
OR • D
Sponsored 6/24/2026
Rep. Carbajal, Salud O. [D-CA-24]
CA • D
Sponsored 6/24/2026
Rep. Carson, André [D-IN-7]
IN • D
Sponsored 6/24/2026
Rep. Casar, Greg [D-TX-35]
TX • D
Sponsored 6/24/2026
Rep. Casten, Sean [D-IL-6]
IL • D
Sponsored 6/24/2026
Rep. Castro, Joaquin [D-TX-20]
TX • D
Sponsored 6/24/2026
Rep. Chu, Judy [D-CA-28]
CA • D
Sponsored 6/24/2026
Rep. Clarke, Yvette D. [D-NY-9]
NY • D
Sponsored 6/24/2026
Rep. Cohen, Steve [D-TN-9]
TN • D
Sponsored 6/24/2026
Rep. Correa, J. Luis [D-CA-46]
CA • D
Sponsored 6/24/2026
Rep. Crockett, Jasmine [D-TX-30]
TX • D
Sponsored 6/24/2026
Rep. Crow, Jason [D-CO-6]
CO • D
Sponsored 6/24/2026
Rep. Davis, Danny K. [D-IL-7]
IL • D
Sponsored 6/24/2026
Rep. Dean, Madeleine [D-PA-4]
PA • D
Sponsored 6/24/2026
Rep. DeGette, Diana [D-CO-1]
CO • D
Sponsored 6/24/2026
Rep. DelBene, Suzan K. [D-WA-1]
WA • D
Sponsored 6/24/2026
Rep. Deluzio, Christopher R. [D-PA-17]
PA • D
Sponsored 6/24/2026
Rep. Leger Fernandez, Teresa [D-NM-3]
NM • D
Sponsored 6/24/2026
Rep. Lieu, Ted [D-CA-36]
CA • D
Sponsored 6/24/2026
Rep. Lofgren, Zoe [D-CA-18]
CA • D
Sponsored 6/24/2026
Rep. Matsui, Doris O. [D-CA-7]
CA • D
Sponsored 6/24/2026
Rep. McClellan, Jennifer L. [D-VA-4]
VA • D
Sponsored 6/24/2026
Rep. McGovern, James P. [D-MA-2]
MA • D
Sponsored 6/24/2026
Rep. Meeks, Gregory W. [D-NY-5]
NY • D
Sponsored 6/24/2026
Mejia
NJ • D
Sponsored 6/24/2026
Rep. Menefee, Christian D. [D-TX-18]
TX • D
Sponsored 6/24/2026
Rep. Meng, Grace [D-NY-6]
NY • D
Sponsored 6/24/2026
Rep. Moore, Gwen [D-WI-4]
WI • D
Sponsored 6/24/2026
Rep. Sewell, Terri A. [D-AL-7]
AL • D
Sponsored 6/24/2026
Rep. Sherman, Brad [D-CA-32]
CA • D
Sponsored 6/24/2026
Rep. Simon, Lateefah [D-CA-12]
CA • D
Sponsored 6/24/2026
Rep. Smith, Adam [D-WA-9]
WA • D
Sponsored 6/24/2026
Rep. Stansbury, Melanie A. [D-NM-1]
NM • D
Sponsored 6/24/2026
Rep. Moulton, Seth [D-MA-6]
MA • D
Sponsored 6/24/2026
Rep. Mullin, Kevin [D-CA-15]
CA • D
Sponsored 6/24/2026
Rep. Nadler, Jerrold [D-NY-12]
NY • D
Sponsored 6/24/2026
Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large]
DC • D
Sponsored 6/24/2026
Rep. Omar, Ilhan [D-MN-5]
MN • D
Sponsored 6/24/2026
Rep. Panetta, Jimmy [D-CA-19]
CA • D
Sponsored 6/24/2026
Rep. Pingree, Chellie [D-ME-1]
ME • D
Sponsored 6/24/2026
Rep. Pocan, Mark [D-WI-2]
WI • D
Sponsored 6/24/2026
Rep. Pressley, Ayanna [D-MA-7]
MA • D
Sponsored 6/24/2026
Rep. Quigley, Mike [D-IL-5]
IL • D
Sponsored 6/24/2026
Rep. Ramirez, Delia C. [D-IL-3]
IL • D
Sponsored 6/24/2026
Rep. Raskin, Jamie [D-MD-8]
MD • D
Sponsored 6/24/2026
Rep. Ross, Deborah K. [D-NC-2]
NC • D
Sponsored 6/24/2026
Rep. Salinas, Andrea [D-OR-6]
OR • D
Sponsored 6/24/2026
Rep. Takano, Mark [D-CA-39]
CA • D
Sponsored 6/24/2026
Rep. Thanedar, Shri [D-MI-13]
MI • D
Sponsored 6/24/2026
Rep. Titus, Dina [D-NV-1]
NV • D
Sponsored 6/24/2026
Rep. Tlaib, Rashida [D-MI-12]
MI • D
Sponsored 6/24/2026
Rep. Tokuda, Jill N. [D-HI-2]
HI • D
Sponsored 6/24/2026
Rep. Tonko, Paul [D-NY-20]
NY • D
Sponsored 6/24/2026
Rep. Torres, Norma J. [D-CA-35]
CA • D
Sponsored 6/24/2026
Rep. Torres, Ritchie [D-NY-15]
NY • D
Sponsored 6/24/2026
Rep. Trahan, Lori [D-MA-3]
MA • D
Sponsored 6/24/2026
Rep. Vargas, Juan [D-CA-52]
CA • D
Sponsored 6/24/2026
Rep. Veasey, Marc A. [D-TX-33]
TX • D
Sponsored 6/24/2026
Rep. Velázquez, Nydia M. [D-NY-7]
NY • D
Sponsored 6/24/2026
Rep. Walkinshaw, James R. [D-VA-11]
VA • D
Sponsored 6/24/2026
Rep. Wasserman Schultz, Debbie [D-FL-25]
FL • D
Sponsored 6/24/2026
Rep. Watson Coleman, Bonnie [D-NJ-12]
NJ • D
Sponsored 6/24/2026
Rep. Williams, Nikema [D-GA-5]
GA • D
Sponsored 6/24/2026
Rep. Wilson, Frederica S. [D-FL-24]
FL • D
Sponsored 6/24/2026
Cisneros
CA • D
Sponsored 7/20/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov