Friend: Representative Pramila Jayapal (D-WA), Representative Tony Cárdenas (D-CA), and Senator Mazie Hirono (D-HI) reintroduced the LIFT the BAR Act last week!
If passed, the LIFT the BAR Act would provide relief to hundreds of thousands of immigrant families who are currently blocked for at least five years from accessing critical health care, nutrition, and other life-saving benefits. By removing the five-year bar and other discriminatory barriers, this legislation will allow families to access a critical safety net that has been kept out of reach for the last 27 years.
Polling found that 74% of voters across the political spectrum support eliminating the five-year bar. Despite this, we still have some holdouts in Congress, and we know who they are.
It’s so important that our team continues to show strong energy and support for this bill. So, we’ve identified the members of Congress who have yet to voice their support for the LIFT the BAR Act and need everyone on this team to send them our message, loud and clear: Listen to the will of your constituents and pass the LIFT the BAR Act >>>
The bill would align federal assistance programs with the immigrant eligibility standards of the Affordable Care Act, including:
- Medicaid
- Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP)
- Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
- Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)
- Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
Together, we have the power to ensure more people, including those who have DACA, TPS, and other lawfully present immigrants are eligible for federal safety net programs. Join us in urging your members of Congress to cosponsor the LIFT the BAR Act without delay (and if your representative has already cosponsored, ask them to help us pass the bill).
Reintroducing the LIFT the BAR Act is a significant step toward achieving health care for all — regardless of who we are, where we’re from, or how much money we have. Now, Congress must take the next step and make this critical bill law.
Let’s get it done,
Raha Wala
Vice President, Strategic Partnerships & Advocacy
National Immigration Law Center
