H.R. 5085 – Emergency Repatriation Assistance for Returning Americans Act

AI-Generated Summary

Updated February 8, 2026 at 6:25 AM UTC

The Emergency Repatriation Assistance for Returning Americans Act amends the Social Security Act to provide up to $10 million each year in 2021 and 2022 for temporary assistance to U.S. citizens who have been returned from foreign countries. It expands the funding that was previously limited to fiscal year 2020 and treats the spending as an emergency requirement, affecting eligible returning Americans and the agencies that administer the assistance.

Key Provisions

Increases the annual limit on emergency assistance for returning Americans to $10 million for fiscal years 2021 and 2022 (previously limited to FY2020).
Designates the new assistance funds as an emergency requirement under the Statutory Pay‑As‑You‑Go Act, allowing them to be exempt from normal budget constraints.

Legislative Activity

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14 earlier actions

Became Law Latest Action

Became Public Law No: 117-39.

August 31, 2021

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

August 24, 2021

HouseCommittee

Referred to the Subcommittee on Social Security.

Social Security Subcommittee

August 24, 2021

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on the Budget, 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.

Ways and Means Committee

August 24, 2021

HouseFloor

Mr. Davis, Danny K. asked unanimous consent to discharge from committee and consider.

August 24, 2021 • 7:17 PM

HouseCommittee

Committee on Ways and Means discharged.

Ways and Means Committee

August 24, 2021

HouseCommittee

Committee on the Budget discharged.

Budget Committee

August 24, 2021

HouseFloor

Considered by unanimous consent. (consideration: CR H4415)

August 24, 2021 • 7:17 PM

HouseFloor

Passed/agreed to in House: On passage Passed without objection.(text: CR H4415)

August 24, 2021 • 7:17 PM

HouseFloor

On passage Passed without objection. (text: CR H4415)

August 24, 2021 • 7:17 PM

HouseFloor

Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

August 24, 2021 • 7:17 PM

SenateFloor

Received in the Senate, read twice, considered, read the third time, and passed without amendment by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S6431)

August 31, 2021

SenateFloor

Message on Senate action sent to the House.

August 31, 2021

President

Presented to President.

August 31, 2021

Became Law

Signed by President.

August 31, 2021

Became Law

Became Public Law No: 117-39.

August 31, 2021

Floor Debate

2 members

What members said about H.R. 5085 on the floor

2 Democrats

Rep. Danny K. DavisD-IL-7 · Aug 24, 2021

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Ways and Means and the Committee on the Budget be discharged from further consideration of the bill (H.R. 5085) to amend section 1113 of…

Sen. Benjamin L. CardinD-MD · Aug 31, 2021

Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that notwithstanding the order that no business be conducted during today's pro forma session, it be in order to receive H.R. 5085 from the House; that the…

Bill Text

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Enrolled BillPublication date not provided

One Hundred Seventeenth Congress of the United States of America

At the First Session

Begun and held at the City of Washington on Sunday, the third day of January, two thousand and twenty-one

H. R. 5085

AN ACT

To amend section 1113 of the Social Security Act to provide authority for increased payments for temporary assistance to United States citizens returned from foreign countries, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Emergency Repatriation Assistance for Returning Americans Act.

2.

Increase in aggregate payments

(a)

In general

Section 1113(d) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1313(d)) is amended by striking fiscal year 2020, the total amount of such assistance provided during such fiscal year shall not exceed $10,000,000 and inserting fiscal years 2021 and 2022, the total amount of such assistance provided during each such fiscal year shall not exceed $10,000,000.

(b)

Emergency designation

(1)

In general

The amounts provided by the amendment made by this section are designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section 4(g) of the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010 (2 U.S.C. 933(g)).

(2)

Designation in Senate

In the Senate, this section and the amendment made by this section are designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section 4001(a)(1) of S. Con. Res. 14 (117th Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2022.

Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Vice President of the United States and President of the Senate.