H.R. 10045119th CongressReferred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

Protect American Values Act

Introduced: Aug 6, 2026

Latest action: Aug 6, 2026

Latest Action

Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

Congress.gov Bill Record ↗Official Bill Text ↗

Primary Sponsors

Cosponsors

Recorded Actions

Linked Votes

Plain-English AI Summary

What this bill means

Generated from the official bill text to make the legislation easier to understand.

Summary Ready

What this bill does

The **Protect American Values Act** (H.R. 10045) prevents federal funds from being used to carry out a specific Department of Homeland Security (DHS) regulation regarding "public charge" rules for immigration. Specifically, the bill: * Prohibits federal agencies from using any federal money—including user fees collected by the government—to implement, administer, enforce, or execute the DHS rule titled *"Public Charge Ground of Inadmissibility"* (published at 91 Fed. Reg. 45324). * Applies this funding restriction to any related guidance, policies, or official clarifications created to support or explain the rule. * Includes a non-binding "Sense of Congress" statement expressing that immigrants contribute to the country, that the DHS rule causes economic burdens and public health risks by restricting access to healthcare, food, and housing, and that the rule exceeds executive authority.

Who it affects

* **Federal Agencies:** Primarily the Department of Homeland Security and officials responsible for administering or enforcing immigration regulations. * **Immigrants and their families:** Individuals subject to immigration evaluations regarding whether they might become a "public charge" (dependent on government support). * **State and Local Communities:** Local governments and public assistance providers that offer medical care, food, and housing benefits.

What would change

* **Enforcement Restrictions:** DHS officials would be prohibited from spending any allocated federal funds or user fees to run or enforce the specified public charge rule and its supporting policies. * **Official Congressional Position:** Congress would formally state its position that public assistance programs and immigrants contribute to national stability and that the DHS public charge rule goes beyond authorized executive power.

Money or funding

* **No New Spending:** The bill does not authorize or allocate new federal spending. * **Funding Prohibition:** It restricts spending by prohibiting any federal funds or collected user fees from being spent on the specified DHS rule and associated policies across any fiscal year.

Important exceptions or limits

* **Non-Binding Provisions:** The "Sense of Congress" section represents an official opinion of Congress, but it does not create legally binding requirements or alter statutory law on its own. * **Specific Scope:** The spending restriction specifically targets the DHS rule published at 91 Fed. Reg. 45324 and its related administrative guidance; it does not explicitly address other immigration rules or statutory provisions. * **Unclear Elements:** The provided summary does not detail specific penalties for federal officials who violate the funding ban, nor does it specify exact dates for when the ban takes effect beyond applying to any fiscal year.

Plain-English bottom line

This bill stops the Department of Homeland Security from using any federal money or user fees to enforce or carry out a specific rule that limits immigration status based on whether an individual might rely on public benefits.

This summary was generated by AI from the official bill text. It is intended to make legislation easier to understand and does not replace the original legal language.

AI model: gemini-3.6-flashUpdated: Sep 25, 2026Review official bill text ↗

Official Summary

Official legislative summary associated with this bill.

No official summary is currently available.

Primary Sponsors

Members listed as primary sponsors of this legislation.

Judy Chu

Democrat • California • District 28

Primary Sponsor

Aug 6, 2026

Cosponsors

Members who joined this legislation as cosponsors.

Suzanne Bonamici

Democrat • Oregon • District 1