Compact of Free Association Amendments Act of 2023

H.J.Res. 96, the Compact of Free Association Amendments Act of 2023, formally approves and implements updated agreements between the United States and three Pacific island nations: the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the Republic of Palau. These agreements, known as Compacts of Free Association (COFA), provide the U.S. with exclusive military access to these strategic regions in exchange for economic assistance, federal services, and the right for their citizens to live and work in the United States.

For U.S. citizens and residents, the bill’s practical impact includes strengthening national security by maintaining a stable military presence in the Indo-Pacific to counter regional influence from other powers. Additionally, the legislation restores and expands access to federal benefits—such as food assistance and Medicaid—for COFA migrants living legally within U.S. states and territories, while providing financial support to local communities that host these populations.