The United States has restored federal benefits for tens of thousands of Micronesian migrants living in the U.S. legally under the Compacts of Free Association.
The U.S. has shared treaties with the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, and the Republic of Palau, known as the COFA. Under this agreement, Micronesians can live, work and study in the U.S. in exchange for military access to their islands.
Last week, President Joe Biden signed a bill known as the Compact Impact Fairness Act into law, renewing the economic provisions for the Pacific Island countries.
The announcement came months after the U.S. renewed separate treaties with the three island nations — a critical time as the U.S.'s influence in the Pacific is being contested by China.
Congressman Ed Case said the renewed agreements advance the U.S.'s relationship with the Pacific Islands.
"The Pacific Islands were watching to see whether we were actually going to approve these agreements, and we did approve them," Case told HPR. "The fact that this country has reinforced its commitment to the Pacific through this particular bill is a major advance for us."
The COFA amendments would provide $6.5 billion in economic assistance over the next 20 years.
The provisions allow Micronesians in the U.S. to access federal benefits such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, Supplemental Security Income, Social Services Block Grants, education assistance and other programs.
Such benefits were restricted for COFA migrants as part of the 1996 Welfare Reform Act.
The COFA nations have a growing diaspora, with more island residents living in the U.S. and having children. More than 18,000 Micronesians live in Hawaiʻi.
Josie Howard of We Are Oceania said that the new economic provisions help COFA migrants in Hawaiʻi.
"It's hard to make it here in Hawaiʻi," Howard said. "When people are restricted from many services, it's hard for them to thrive. Even though it takes them triple times to make ends meet."
"This is going to help our community thrive," she continued.
"We're already contributing members. We pay taxes. On top of that, we have these funding and programs now available, which is going to help the state of Hawaiʻi."
In a statement last week, U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz said that the appropriation bill package extending COFA agreements would allow the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to provide medical care to COFA veterans of the U.S. military living in the Freely Associated States.
"U.S. veterans living the FAS deserve the same care as all other service members, without having to navigate complex, costly barriers or travel long distances just to see a doctor," Schatz said in a statement.
