Returned Americans Protection Act of 2006
Public Law 109-250 · H.R. 5865 · 109th Congress · began in the House
Signed by George W. Bush (R) on Jul 27, 2006 · Social Welfare
Sponsor: Rep. Bill Thomas (R-CA-22)
Cosponsors: None
Passage votes
- HouseUnanimous consent
- SenateUnanimous consent
Data notes
The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
Amends title XI of the Social Security Act (SSA) with respect to the authority of the Secretary of Health and Human Services to provide temporary assistance to U.S. citizens and their dependents if they: (1) are identified by the Department of State as having returned, or been brought, from a foreign country to the United States because of the citizen's destitution or the citizen's or a dependent's illness, or because of war, threat of war, invasion, or similar crisis; and (2) are without available resources.
Increases from $1 million to $6 million the maximum total amount of such temporary assistance provided during FY2006.
Amends SSA title IV part D (Child Support and Establishment of Paternity) to provide that if a state agency responsible for administration of the food stamp program under the Food Stamp Act of 1977 transmits to the Secretary of Health and Human Services the names and Social Security account numbers of individuals, the Secretary shall disclose to the state agency information on them and their employers maintained in the National Directory of New Hires.
Requires the Secretary to make such a disclosure only to the extent that it would not interfere with the effective operation of the child support and establishment of paternity program.
Prohibits a state agency from disclosing information provided under this Act except for purposes for administering a food stamp program. Prescribes data security and control policies and establishes a penalty for misuse of information.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Data notes
A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.
Related bills
1 bill the Library of Congress relates to this one.
H.R. 5869Related bill
Lebanon Evacuation Assistance Act
Data notes
Related bills are identified by the Congressional Research Service, the House and the Senate: companion and identical bills, bills with similar text, bills that were folded into this law, and rules that brought it to the floor. A bill that is itself a public law in this site’s data links here; the others link to Congress.gov.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 18 actions.
- Jul 27, 2006Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 109-250.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- FloorFloor · Presented to President.
- Jul 26, 2006Resolving differencesResolving differences · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · On motion that the House agree to the Senate amendment Agreed to without objection.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Mr. Herger asked unanimous consent that the House agree to the Senate amendment.
- FloorFloor · Message on Senate action sent to the House.
- FloorFloor · Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.
- FloorFloor · Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.
- OtherOther · Resolving differences -- House actions: On motion that the House agree to the Senate amendment Agreed to without objection.
- Jul 25, 2006FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- FloorFloor · On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote.
- FloorFloor · DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 5865.
- FloorFloor · Considered under suspension of the rules.
- FloorFloor · Mr. Herger moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
- CommitteeCommittee · Received in the Senate.
- Jul 24, 2006CommitteeCommittee · Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in House
Data notes
Every action the Library of Congress lists for the bill, from introduction to signing, plus the dated committee hearings. The source lists many steps twice (the chamber’s own entry and the Library of Congress copy, or a presidential and a became-law entry with the same words); those are shown once. Amendments are listed in their own section.
Amendments
1 amendment offered to the bill, with the last recorded step of each.
- Agreed to
S.Amdt. 4695SenateSen. Chuck GrassleyR-IA· offered Jul 26, 2006Agreed to
In the nature of a substitute.
Jul 26, 2006: Amendment SA 4695 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.
Data notes
Amendments offered to this bill in either chamber, as the Library of Congress records them: each with a status read from its last recorded step: agreed to, rejected, withdrawn, ruled out of order, fell with another amendment, or offered with no vote recorded (most Senate amendments are only ever offered). The wording of each amendment is the source’s. Amendments to amendments and amendments to other bills are not listed.
Official record
The bill’s full text is on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.