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H.R. 6819House117th Congress (2021-2023)In Committee

Compact of Free Association Host Communities Support Act

To address the growing unreimbursed economic impact costs on communities that receive and host Compact migrants from the Freely Associated States, and for other purposes.

Sponsored by Michael F. Q. San NicolasRep. Michael F. Q. San Nicolas (D-GU)
Introduced February 22, 2022

AI-Generated Summary

Updated February 8, 2026 at 9:35 AM UTC

The Compact of Free Association Host Communities Support Act aims to ease the financial burden on U.S. states, territories, and possessions that host migrants from the Freely Associated States. It lets federal agencies waive local matching‑fund requirements and gives the President authority to reduce, release, or waive up to $100 million each year of unreimbursed costs incurred by those jurisdictions. Governors must report the costs, and the measures stay in place until all claims are settled.

Key Provisions

  • Federal departments can waive any local matching‑fund requirements for grants when serving affected jurisdictions.
  • The President may, at a governor’s request, reduce, release, or waive up to $100 million annually of amounts owed by an affected jurisdiction for unreimbursed economic impacts from Compact migrants.
  • Governors must submit, within 120 days, an audited report (with an independent accounting firm) documenting unreimbursed costs from 2004‑2021, and provide supporting documents if asked.
  • Any waiver only takes effect after a 60‑day congressional review period and consideration of congressional comments.
  • The Secretary of the Interior’s authority under the Act ends when they certify that all unreimbursed costs have been reconciled and repaid.

Legislative Activity

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HouseIntro Referral Latest Action

Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Reform.

Oversight and Government Reform Committee

February 22, 2022

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

February 22, 2022

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Reform.

Oversight and Government Reform Committee

February 22, 2022

Bill Text

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Introduced in HouseIssued February 22, 2022

I

117th CONGRESS

2d Session

H. R. 6819

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

February 22, 2022

Mr. San Nicolas (for himself, Mr. Case, and Mr. Kahele) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Reform

A BILL

To address the growing unreimbursed economic impact costs on communities that receive and host Compact migrants from the Freely Associated States, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Compact of Free Association Host Communities Support Act.

2.

Waiver of matching funds requirement

A Federal department, agency, independent agency, office, or instrumentality may waive any requirement for local matching funds (including in-kind contributions) otherwise required to be provided by an affected jurisdiction for any Federal grant requiring matching funds.

3.

Reconciliation of unreimbursed impact expenses

(a)

In general

To address previously accrued and unreimbursed impact expenses, at the request of the Governor of an affected jurisdiction, the President may reduce, release, or waive all or part of amounts owed by the Government of an affected jurisdiction (or the government’s autonomous agencies or instrumentalities) to any department, agency, independent agency, office, or instrumentality of the United States.

(b)

Terms and conditions

(1)

Substantiation of impact costs

Not later than 120 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Governor of each affected jurisdiction shall submit to the Secretary a report, prepared in consultation with an independent accounting firm, substantiating unreimbursed economic impacts to the affected jurisdiction of receiving compact migrants from 2004 through 2021. Upon request of the Secretary, the Governor of the affected jurisdiction shall submit to the Secretary copies of all documents upon which the report submitted by that Governor was based.

(2)

Congressional review and comment

Any reduction, release, or waiver under this Act shall not take effect until 60 days after the President notifies Congress of the President’s intent to approve a request of the Governor of each affected jurisdiction. In exercising his authority under this section and in determining whether to give final approval to a request, the President shall take into consideration comments the President may receive after Congressional review.

(c)

Annual limit

The President may reduce, release, or waive, under subsection (a), amounts totaling, in the aggregate, not more than $100,000,000 annually.

4.

Sunset

This authority of the Secretary under sections 2 and 3 shall terminate on that date that the Secretary certifies that all the unreimbursed economic impact costs to affected jurisdictions have been reconciled and repaid to those affected jurisdictions.

5.

Definitions

For the purposes of this Act, the following definitions apply:

(1)

Affected jurisdiction

The term affected jurisdiction means any State, territory, or possession of the United States that receives and hosts a Compact migrant.

(2)

Compact migrant

The term compact migrant means a person, or their children under the age of 18, admitted or resident pursuant to section 141 of the U.S.–RMI or U.S.–FSM Compact, or section 141 of the Palau Compact who, as of a date referenced in the most recently published enumeration is a resident of an affected jurisdiction. As used in this subsection, the term resident shall be a person who has a ‘residence,’ as that term is defined in section 101(a)(33) of the Immigration and Nationality Act.

(3)

Secretary

The term Secretary means the Secretary of the Interior.