H.R. 7213

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7213 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 7213

To restrict certain Federal assistance benefits to individuals verified 
to be citizens of the United States.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

January 22, 2026

Mr. Grothman (for himself, Mr. Perry, Ms. Boebert, and Ms. Mace) 
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
Oversight and Government Reform

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To restrict certain Federal assistance benefits to individuals verified 
to be citizens of the United States.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Safeguarding Benefits for Americans 
Act of 2026''.

SEC. 2. RESTRICTING CERTAIN FEDERAL ASSISTANCE BENEFITS TO INDIVIDUALS 
VERIFIED TO BE CITIZENS.

(a) Restriction.--
(1) In general.--Notwithstanding any other provision of 
law, an individual is not eligible for a Federal assistance 
benefit (as defined in paragraph (2) of this subsection) unless 
the individual meets the citizenship requirement specified in 
subsection (b)(1).
(2) Federal assistance benefit.--In this section, the term 
``Federal assistance benefit'' means, with respect to an 
individual, assistance furnished to the individual (or to the 
household, family, or other similar unit that includes the 
individual) under any Federal assistance program (as defined in 
subsection (e)), including any benefit furnished under a grant 
or contract made pursuant to any such program, but does not 
include an entity receiving a grant or contract under such a 
program if the grant or contract is used to furnish assistance 
other than to the entity receiving the grant or contract.
(b) Citizenship, Attestation, and Citizenship Verification 
Requirements.--
(1) Citizenship requirement.--The citizenship requirement 
specified in this paragraph, with respect to an individual, is 
that the individual must meet--
(A) the attestation requirement of paragraph (2); 
and
(B) the citizenship verification requirement of 
paragraph (3).
(2) Attestation requirement.--An individual meets the 
attestation requirement of this paragraph for a Federal 
assistance benefit if the individual has filed, in connection 
with the application for the benefit (or, in the case of an 
individual who is a recipient of the benefit, filed with the 
provider of the benefit), a declaration in writing (under 
penalty of perjury and in a form and manner specified under 
subsection (c)(3)) that the individual is a citizen or national 
of the United States.
(3) Citizenship verification requirement.--
(A) In general.--An individual meets the 
citizenship verification requirement of this 
paragraph--
(i) in connection with an application for a 
Federal assistance benefit, if the individual--
(I) furnishes in connection with 
the application satisfactory 
documentary evidence (as defined in 
section 1903(x)(3) of the Social 
Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396b(x)(3))) 
of United States citizenship or 
nationality;
(II) furnishes in connection with 
the application a photographic identity 
document described in section 
274A(b)(1)(D) of the Immigration and 
Nationality Act; and
(III) furnishes in connection with 
the application the individual's name 
and social security account number and 
has the name and number and citizenship 
or nationality status confirmed in 
accordance with subparagraphs (B)(ii) 
and (C)(ii) as being consistent with 
information in the records maintained 
by the Commissioner of Social Security 
or the Secretary of Homeland Security, 
respectively; or
(ii) in the case of a recipient of a 
Federal assistance benefit, if the individual 
furnishes to the provider of the benefit the 
documentary evidence and other information 
described in clause (i), and has the 
individual's name and social security account 
number and social security number and 
citizenship or nationality status confirmed as 
described in clause (i)(III).
(B) Confirmation through social security.--
(i) Transmittal of ssn to ssa.--An entity 
that is furnished a name, social security 
account number, and other identity information 
for an individual under subparagraph (A) shall 
submit the name and number to the Commissioner 
of Social Security for confirmation under 
clause (ii) of this subparagraph.
(ii) Confirmation or nonconfirmation by 
ssa.--Upon receipt of a submittal under clause 
(i) from an entity, the Commissioner shall 
compare the information submitted with the 
information in the records maintained by the 
Commissioner and transmit to the entity either 
a confirmation or nonconfirmation as to whether 
the number submitted is valid and whether the 
information in the Social Security 
Administration indicates that the individual is 
a citizen or national of the United States.
(C) Confirmation through dhs.--
(i) Transmittal to dhs.--An entity that is 
furnished a name and social security account 
number and other identity information for an 
individual under subparagraph (A) of this 
paragraph shall submit the name and number and 
such other identifying information as the 
Director may require under subsection (c)(3)(B) 
respecting the individual to the Secretary of 
Homeland Security for confirmation under clause 
(ii) of this subparagraph.
(ii) Review and confirmation or 
nonconfirmation by dhs.--Upon receipt of a 
submittal under clause (i) from an entity, the 
Secretary of Homeland Security shall transmit 
to the entity either a confirmation or 
nonconfirmation as to whether the information 
in the records of the Department of Homeland 
Security indicates that the individual is a 
citizen or national of the United States.
(D) Verification through save program.--An entity 
that is furnished a name and social security account 
number and other identity information for an individual 
under subparagraph (A) shall verify that the individual 
is not included as a noncitizen in the Systematic Alien 
Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) Program of the 
Department of Homeland Security.
(E) Notice.--In the case of an individual who does 
not provide the documentary evidence referred to in 
subparagraph (A) or who does not receive confirmation 
of United States citizenship or nationality under 
subparagraph (B)(ii) or (C)(ii), the entity processing 
the application for, or providing, the Federal 
assistance benefit involved shall notify the individual 
of the individual's ineligibility under this section 
with respect to the benefit, and of the opportunity of 
the individual to appeal the ineligibility 
determination.
(F) Appeals process.--The head of any department or 
agency of the Federal Government who is administering a 
Federal benefit program shall provide a process through 
which an individual may appeal a determination made 
under this Act that an individual is ineligible for a 
Federal assistance benefit.
(4) National defined.--In this section, the term 
``national'' means a national of the United States (as defined 
in section 101(a)(22) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 
U.S.C. 1101(a)(22))).
(c) Additional Rules; Administration.--
(1) Treatment of certain families and households.--In the 
case of a Federal assistance benefit which is made available 
based on--
(A) eligibility for a child, the child shall be 
treated as meeting the citizenship requirement of 
subsection (b)(1) if the child, or a parent or legal 
guardian of the child, meets the requirement; and
(B) eligibility for a household or other family 
unit, the members of the household or family unit shall 
be treated as meeting the citizenship requirement if 
any individual who is treated as a member of the 
household or family unit meets the requirement, except 
that--
(i) if the program under which the benefit 
is furnished is the program for supportive 
housing for the elderly under section 202 of 
the Housing Act of 1959 (12 U.S.C. 1701q), the 
citizenship requirement must be met by an 
elderly individual who is a member of the 
household; and
(ii) if the program under which the benefit 
is furnished is the program for supportive 
housing for persons with disabilities under 
section 811 of the Cranston-Gonzalez National 
Affordable Housing Act (42 U.S.C. 8013), the 
citizenship requirement must be met by a 
disabled individual who is a member of the 
household.
(2) Satisfaction of requirement.--Once an individual meets 
the citizenship requirement of subsection (b)(1) with respect 
to a Federal assistance benefit, the individual shall be 
treated as continuing to meet the requirement for the benefit 
so long as the individual otherwise remains continuously 
eligible for the benefit.
(3) General administration.--
(A) In general.--The Director of the Office of 
Management and Budget may issue such regulations and 
guidance as may be required to carry out this section.
(B) Specifications of declaration form and 
verification process.--Not later than 30 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Director shall 
specify the form and manner of the declaration of 
citizenship form under subsection (b)(2) and the method 
for verifying citizenship to be used under subsection 
(b)(3) consistent with the following:
(i) The declaration form shall be based on 
the declaration form used for purposes of 
section 1137(d)(1)(A) of the Social Security 
Act (42 U.S.C. 1320b-7(d)(1)(A)).
(ii) The verification process described in 
subparagraphs (A), (B), and (C) of subsection 
(b)(3) shall be based on the process used for 
purposes of paragraphs (1) and (2) of section 
1902(ee) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 
1396a(ee)).
(4) Superseding other citizenship-related eligibility 
requirements.--The provisions of this section supersede any 
provisions of law relating to the eligibility for Federal 
assistance benefits of individuals based on citizenship, 
nationality, or immigration status, unless the Director of the 
Office of Management and Budget determines that the provisions 
of the law are more restrictive than the requirements of this 
section.
(d) Disqualification for Willful and Repeated Noncompliance.--
(1) In general.--If the Director of the Office of 
Management and Budget determines that an entity providing a 
Federal assistance benefit has willfully and repeatedly 
furnished the benefit to individuals who have not met the 
citizenship requirement of subsection (b)(1) or has willfully 
and repeatedly failed to submit information as required under 
subparagraph (B)(i) or (C)(i) of subsection (b)(3), the entity 
is disqualified from furnishing the benefit, and the Director 
shall add the name of the entity to the List of Excluded 
Individuals/Entities, until the Director determines that any 
such benefit furnished to any such individual has been 
recovered.
(2) Monitoring of programs by the inspectors general.--The 
Inspector General for the respective Federal Department or 
agency with primary responsibility for a Federal assistance 
program shall provide for regular reports on compliance of the 
entities furnishing benefits under the program in applying 
subsection (a).
(e) Federal Assistance Program Defined.--In this section, the term 
``Federal assistance program''--
(1) means any provision of Federal law (other than the 
Internal Revenue Code of 1986 or any other Federal law 
pertaining to taxation) that authorizes a benefit to be 
furnished for which eligibility is based in whole or in part on 
the income or resources of the beneficiary; and
(2) includes any provision of the Social Security Act that 
authorizes a benefit to be furnished.
(f) Effective Date.--
(1) In general.--Subsection (a) shall apply to 
determinations (including redeterminations) of eligibility made 
on or after the date that is 1 year after the date of the 
enactment of this Act.
(2) Transition rule.--In no case shall an individual remain 
eligible for a Federal assistance benefit after the date that 
is 2 years after the date of the enactment of this Act without 
satisfying the citizenship requirement of subsection (b)(1).
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