Compact Impact Fairness Act (CIFA) Gives Hope to Micronesians Living in the United States

The proposed CIFA bill, which will restore access to federal benefits for citizens from COFA nations, needs to be approved by both the House and the Senate to pass into law.

Posted By: Michelle Pedro June 5, 2021

Springdale, Arkansas – On May 28th Representative Steve Womack (R-Arkansas),  Representative Ed Case (D-Hawaii), along with Senator Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii) introduced  bipartisan and bicameral legislation to restore eligibility for many federal benefit programs  to citizens from the Compacts of Free Association (COFA) nations. The Compact Impact  Fairness Act (CIFA) will help many Micronesians, citizens from the COFA nations that are  living in the U.S. including an estimated 15,000 who are residents of Arkansas and not  eligible for programs such as Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Temporary  Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Supplemental Security Income (SSI), and Covid-19  Funeral Assistance grants. 

Under the Compacts, the Freely Associated States of the Republic of the Marshall Islands,  the Federated States of Micronesia and the Republic of Palau, provide the United States with  exclusive military rights in a critical Indo-Pacific region. In exchange citizens of COFA nations  are able to live and work in the United States without a visa. Against the intent and spirit of  the Compacts, COFA citizens lost access to federal benefits after Congress passed the  Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996.

Last year the disproportionate toll of COVID deaths within COFA communities, many of  whom work in essential jobs, helped broaden support to fix the 25-year old legislative  drafting error. In late 2020, Pacific Islanders secured a fix to restore access to Medicaid  eligibility, a critical need but just one of many federal benefits entitled under the intent of  the Compacts.  

“The CIFA Act is about fairness and justice. We have citizens of COFA nations who have  worked really hard in essential jobs in food processing, health care and early childhood  education, and paid taxes but can’t access all benefits that they pay into. Citizens of COFA  nations have sacrificed their lands for the security of the United States. The CIFA Act aligns  with the original aim of the Compact to safeguard the lives and livelihood of COFA citizens  living in the United States,” shared Melisa Laelan, Executive Director of the Arkansas  Coalition for Marshallese (ACOM). 

As COFA governments are in active negotiation with the United States on the Compact  treaties, many COFA community leaders are working to ensure that the experience of COFA  citizens in the United States are not ignored. 

Dr. Sheldon Riklon, the Peter O. Kohler, M.D., Endowed Chair in Health Disparities at  University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, shared “The citizens of COFA nations in  Arkansas helped keep our essential industries like food processing and health care running  throughout the pandemic. And by doing so many were exposed to Covid-19, died, and  spread infections to family members in multigenerational households. While the mass scale  tragedy in our communities helped push forth Medicaid eligibility restoration, families are  still struggling. Nearly every extended family has lost someone, and as COFA citizens are  unable to receive grants from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)’s Covid 19 Funeral Assistance Program.” 

“We give thanks and appreciation to Representative Womack for his continued support and  engagement and reaching out to the community and following through with important  legislation. We look forward to working closely with him and continue to build important  relationships. This will help Micronesians to move forward and have the ability to adapt to  their environment as we truly respect each other’s cultures, nurture it and understand each  other in partnership,” shared Michelle Pedro, Policy Director & Communications Specialist  of the Arkansas Coalition of Marshallese. 

About Arkansas Coalition of Marshallese (ACOM)  

Arkansas Coalition of Marshallese (ACOM) is a non-profit organization 501c(3) founded in  2011 focusing on initiatives to improve the quality of life for the more than 15,000  Marshallese community members living in Arkansas. We serve Marshallese and strive to  support and build capacity with other islander communities. ACOM engages the Marshallese community through a culturally specific approach applying education, leadership, policy, and  holistic services.  For more information about ACOM, visit www.arkansasmarshallese.org.