Public Policy Update: Understanding the Exemption Language in HR 1
- Freedmen Nation
- Jul 5
- 1 min read
A new section in HR 1 (House Resolution 1) outlines work requirement exemptions for federal benefit recipients under programs like SNAP and TANF. But these exemptions reveal something critical — Freedmen are not listed.
According to the legislation, exemptions apply to:
Individuals under 18 or over 65
Those medically unfit for employment
Parents or caregivers of children under 14
Pregnant women
Federally recognized Indians, Urban Indians, and California Indians
This policy leaves out Freedmen — even though our population has verified cultural status, historic harm, and governing authority through the Freedmen Reparations Fund Trust. The bill, as shown in the image excerpt below, continues to ignore our people while recognizing others on the basis of identity.
What This Means for Verified Freedmen
If you are a Verified Freedman, you are part of a legally acknowledged identity group that the Trust has already documented through FOIA response, federal correspondence, and cultural classification. Denying you exemption while granting it to others raises a serious Equal Protection concern.
What You Can Do
The Freedmen Reparations Fund Trust has issued a formal Work Requirement Exemption Form for Verified Freedmen to use. This form:
References legal declarations and FOIA evidence
Asserts your protected status
Creates a record in case you are denied — enabling legal follow-up through the American Freedmen Legal Fund
How to Get the Form
The FRFT Work Requirement Exemption Form and official instruction sheet are now available in our Internal Public Documents Archive, located here:
Only Verified Freedmen can access these documents. If you are not yet verified, begin the process today to protect yourself and your family from exclusion under federal policy.
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