To amend the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 and an Act to provide for reconciliation pursuant to title II of H. Con. Res. 14 (Public Law 119-21) to provide certain benefits to noncitizens, and for other purposes.
About This Bill
Committee
Latest Action · June 24, 2026
Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committees on Agriculture, Education and Workforce, Energy and Commerce, the Judiciary, and Financial Services, 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.
The LIFT the BAR Act expands access to federal assistance programs for lawfully present noncitizens by repealing restrictions from the 1996 welfare reform law and recent 2025 legislation that limited eligibility for SNAP, Medicaid, CHIP, and Medicare based on immigration status. The bill broadens the definition of who qualifies for benefits to include DACA recipients, individuals with pending U visa applications, special immigrant juveniles, and other federally authorized noncitizens, while allowing states to provide child nutrition benefits to all noncitizens regardless of status. Additionally, the legislation restores premium tax credits for health insurance under the Affordable Care Act for certain groups, including lawfully present noncitizens with incomes at or below the poverty line who are ineligible for Medicaid. Federal agencies must issue implementation guidance within 180 days of the bill's enactment, with most provisions taking effect immediately and benefits becoming available 180 days after guidance is released. This bill primarily affects noncitizens seeking access to federal welfare, healthcare, nutrition, and tax credit programs, with no specific funding amount detailed in the provided sections.
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