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S. 1609: PROMISE Act

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S. 1609: PROMISE Act

108th Congress · introduced 2003-09-11 · Immigration · Latest: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 511.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

  1. Where it came from: introduced 2003-09-11 · official record
  2. Who proposed it: Sen. Hatch, Orrin G. [R-UT] · what a sponsor is
  3. What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
  4. Where it stands now: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 511. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
  5. If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

PROMISE Act

Plain summary

Parental Responsibility Obligations Met through Immigration System Enforcement Act or PROMISE Act - Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) to render aliens inadmissible for nonpayment of child support if arrearages exceed a specified amount unless payments are satisfied or the alien is in compliance with an approved payment agreement. Authorizes the Secretary of Homeland Security to parole such inadmissible aliens into the United States if parole is essential to the fulfillment of child support and the alien is placed in removal proceedings, has authorized employment, and is otherwise admissible. Prohibits entry of a final removal order against such aliens during the pendency of State court child support proceedings. Adds nonpayment of child support to the INA's list of conduct barring a finding that an alien is a person of good moral character unless support payments are satisfied or the alien is in compliance with an approved payment agreement. Authorizes immigration officers to serve process in child support or paternity cases on aliens seeking admission. Amends the Social Security Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services, upon request by the Attorney General, Secretary of Homeland Security, or Secretary of State, to provide authorized persons with information that may aid alien child support delinquency determinations. Prohibits the further disclosure of such information other than for Federal law enforcement purposes. Authorizes disciplinary action and civil penalties for unauthorized disclosures.

Congressional Research Service summary (Reported to Senate with amendment(s)), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

PROMISE Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Reported to Senate with amendment(s))

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The strongest published arguments

Arguments for (supporters)

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Arguments against (opponents)

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Alternatives

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Hatch, Orrin G. [R-UT] · 1 cosponsors

Cost estimate: CBO cost estimate: S. 1609, Parental Responsibility Obligations Met through Immigration System Enforcement Act (2004-06-01); CBO cost estimate: S. 1609, Parental Responsibility Obligations Met through Immigration System Enforcement Act (2004-06-01)

Cosponsors on this site

John Cornyn (R-TX)

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (3)
Authorization
A law that creates or continues a government program and says what it may do, often with a suggested spending ceiling. An authorization alone does not provide money; a separate appropriation does.
Obligation
A binding promise by a government agency to pay money, for example by signing a contract or awarding a grant. Spending data such as USAspending.gov counts money when it is obligated, which can be before it is actually paid out.
Securities
Financial investments that can be bought and sold, such as stocks and bonds.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Record fed-us-cong108-s1609 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong108 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong108