Mr. President, I rise today to offer an amendment to restore Medicaid and State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) eligibility for children and pregnant women who are citizens from the Freely Associated States (FAS) and reside in the United States lawfully. The United States entered into a Compact of Free Association with the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) and the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) in 1986, and with the Republic of Palau in 1994.

The political relationship between the United States and the FAS is based on mutual support. In exchange for the United States having strategic denial and a defense veto over the FAS, the United States provides military and economic assistance to the RMI, FSM and Palau with the goal of assisting these countries in achieving economic self-sufficiency following the termination of their status as U.N. Trust territories. Pursuant to the Compact, FAS citizens are allowed to freely enter the United States and are not considered immigrants.

Legal immigrants and FAS citizens lost many of their public benefits as a result of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996. I appreciate the work done by my colleague from Florida, Senator Graham, to restore the eligibility for Medicaid and SCHIP for legal immigrants who are children and pregnant women.

The language that has been included in S. 1, the Prescription Drug and Medicare Improvement Act, would give states the option to provide this coverage and allow them to use federal resources to do so.

However, the current text does not restore these benefits to citizens from the FAS lawfully residing in the United States. Arguably, FAS citizens have strong ties with the United States as they come from the countries that are perpetually bound to the United States in free association.

It is important for Congress to restore these benefits for FAS citizens that were taken away from a relatively small but important population. The Congressional Research Service estimates that 11,500 FAS citizens have migrated to the United States since the Compact was enacted. They have come to the United States to seek economic opportunity, education, and access health care.

The State of Hawaii, Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) have supported FAS citizens with necessary health care services, but not without significant and increasing costs. The federal government must provide matching resources to help states meet the healthcare needs of FAS citizens and to meet the obligations of the federal commitment.

I urge my colleagues to support this amendment to restore a portion of the benefits that were taken away from FAS citizens in 1996.

Thank you, Mr. President.