1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the “Protecting Benefits for Elderly Refugees and Refugees with Disabilities During COVID–19 Act of 2020”.
Protecting Benefits for Elderly Refugees and Refugees with Disabilities During COVID–19 Act of 2020
A BILL
To amend section 402 of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 to extend the eligibility period for supplemental security income benefits for refugees, asylees, and certain other humanitarian immigrants, and for other purposes.
2. Extension of eligibility period for ssi benefits for certain recipients
In general— Section 402(a)(2)(M) of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (8 U.S.C. 1612(a)(2)(M)) is amended—
in clause (i)(I), by inserting “and the period beginning on January 31, 2020, and ending on September 30, 2021,” after “fiscal years 2009 through 2011,”; and
in clause (ii), by inserting “and the period beginning on January 31, 2020, and ending on September 30, 2021,” after “fiscal years 2009 through 2011”.
Special rule in case of appealed naturalization application— Section 402(a)(2)(M)(ii) of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (8 U.S.C. 1612(a)(2)(M)(ii)), as amended by subsection (a)(2), is amended—
in the heading, by inserting “, appealed,” after “pending”;
by inserting “or on appeal” after “that is pending”; and
by inserting “, appealed,” after “such application is pending”.
Conforming amendment— Section 402(a)(2)(M) of such Act is amended, in the subparagraph heading, by striking “through fiscal year 2011”.
Effective date— The amendments made by this section shall take effect on January 31, 2020.
3. Naturalization application fee waiver
In general— Notwithstanding sections 286(m) and 344(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1356(m) and 8 U.S.C. 1455(a)), no fee shall be charged or collected from an applicant described in subsection (b) in conjunction with—
filing an application for naturalization;
conducting a hearing on such application; or
the issuance of a certificate of naturalization upon being granted United States citizenship.
Applicant described— An applicant is described in this section if the applicant—
is receiving payments under the supplemental security income program established under title XVI of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1381 et seq.); and
is applying, or has applied, to become a naturalized citizen of the United States in accordance with section 334 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1445).