There may be more help for Micronesians living in America.

U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, the Democrat of Hawaii, is co-sponsoring legislation to extend eligibility for national service programs to citizens of the Compact of Free Association nations who reside in the United States.

The COFA nations are the Republic of Palau, the Republic of the Marshall Islands and the Federated States of Micronesia.

The legislation, introduced by Congresswoman Madeleine Bordallo, the Democrat from Guam, would amend the National and Community Service Act of 1990 to include citizens of the three COFA nations — known as the Freely Associated States — who reside in the U.S. on the list of eligible individuals.

The current statute only allows U.S. citizens, nationals or lawful permanent residents to participate in these programs.

“This legislation would help tens of thousands of COFA migrants living in the United States, including more than 12,000 in Hawaii, gain valuable job training and skills, and give back to our community, by participating in programs that provide disaster relief services, educational opportunities, environmental restoration, and health care assistance to communities across the country,” Gabbard said in a press release.

Said Bordello, “It is only fair that if we can allow FAS citizens to serve in our military and protect our way of life, then we should also allow them to serve our local communities through community service.”

Bordallo added, “I was disappointed when last year several FAS citizens who had already begun their service projects were removed from the AmeriCorps program simply because they did not meet the citizenship eligibility requirements. These individuals are role models who want to help our community, and they should be allowed to do so through community service.”

Congressman Kilili Sablan of the Northern Mariana Islands is also an original co-sponsor of the legislation.

Read Civil Beat’s series The Micronesians.