HR 240 IH
109th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 240
To reauthorize and improve the program of block grants to States for
temporary assistance for needy families, improve access to quality child care,
and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
January 4, 2005
Ms. PRYCE of Ohio (for herself, Mr. THOMAS, Mr. BOEHNER, Mr. BARTON of Texas,
Mr. GOODLATTE, Mr. HERGER, Mr. MCKEON, Mr. BILIRAKIS, Mr. DELAY, Mr. SHAW, Mr.
CANTOR, Mr. ENGLISH of Pennsylvania, Mr. CAMP, Mrs. JOHNSON of Connecticut, Mr.
WELLER, Mr. WILSON of South Carolina, and Mr. KLINE) introduced the following
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to
the Committees on Energy and Commerce, Education and the Workforce, Agriculture,
and Financial Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the
Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the
jurisdiction of the committee concerned
A BILL
To reauthorize and improve the program of block grants to States for
temporary assistance for needy families, improve access to quality child care,
and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United
States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the `Personal Responsibility, Work, and Family
Promotion Act of 2005'.
SEC. 2. TABLE OF CONTENTS.
The table of contents of this Act is as follows:
Sec. 2. Table of contents.
TITLE I--TANF
Sec. 102. Family assistance grants.
Sec. 103. Promotion of family formation and healthy marriage.
Sec. 104. Supplemental grant for population increases in certain
States.
Sec. 105. Bonus to reward employment achievement.
Sec. 106. Contingency fund.
Sec. 108. Repeal of Federal loan for State welfare programs.
Sec. 109. Universal engagement and family self-sufficiency plan
requirements.
Sec. 110. Work participation requirements.
Sec. 111. Maintenance of effort.
Sec. 112. Performance improvement.
Sec. 113. Data collection and reporting.
Sec. 114. Direct funding and administration by Indian tribes.
Sec. 115. Research, evaluations, and national studies.
Sec. 116. Studies by the Census Bureau and the Government Accountability
Office.
Sec. 117. Definition of assistance.
Sec. 118. Technical corrections.
Sec. 119. Fatherhood program.
Sec. 120. State option to make TANF programs mandatory partners with
one-stop employment training centers.
Sec. 121. Sense of the Congress.
Sec. 122. Extension through fiscal year 2005.
TITLE II--CHILD CARE
Sec. 203. Authorization of appropriations.
Sec. 204. Application and plan.
Sec. 205. Activities to improve the quality of child care.
Sec. 206. Report by Secretary.
Sec. 208. Entitlement funding.
TITLE III--CHILD SUPPORT
Sec. 301. Federal matching funds for limited pass through of child
support payments to families receiving TANF.
Sec. 302. State option to pass through all child support payments to
families that formerly received TANF.
Sec. 303. Mandatory review and adjustment of child support orders for
families receiving TANF.
Sec. 304. Mandatory fee for successful child support collection for
family that has never received TANF.
Sec. 305. Report on undistributed child support payments.
Sec. 306. Decrease in amount of child support arrearage triggering
passport denial.
Sec. 307. Use of tax refund intercept program to collect past-due child
support on behalf of children who are not minors.
Sec. 308. Garnishment of compensation paid to veterans for
service-connected disabilities in order to enforce child support
obligations.
Sec. 309. Improving Federal debt collection practices.
Sec. 310. Maintenance of technical assistance funding.
Sec. 311. Maintenance of Federal Parent Locator Service funding.
TITLE IV--CHILD WELFARE
Sec. 401. Extension of authority to approve demonstration
projects.
Sec. 402. Elimination of limitation on number of waivers.
Sec. 403. Elimination of limitation on number of States that may be
granted waivers to conduct demonstration projects on same topic.
Sec. 404. Elimination of limitation on number of waivers that may be
granted to a single State for demonstration projects.
Sec. 405. Streamlined process for consideration of amendments to and
extensions of demonstration projects requiring waivers.
Sec. 406. Availability of reports.
Sec. 407. Technical correction.
TITLE V--SUPPLEMENTAL SECURITY INCOME
Sec. 501. Review of State agency blindness and disability
determinations.
TITLE VI--STATE AND LOCAL FLEXIBILITY
Sec. 601. Program coordination demonstration projects.
Sec. 602. State food assistance block grant demonstration project.
TITLE VII--ABSTINENCE EDUCATION
Sec. 701. Extension of abstinence education program.
TITLE VIII--TRANSITIONAL MEDICAL ASSISTANCE
Sec. 801. Extension of medicaid transitional medical assistance program
through fiscal year 2006.
Sec. 802. Adjustment to payments for medicaid administrative costs to
prevent duplicative payments and to fund extension of transitional medical
assistance.
TITLE IX--EFFECTIVE DATE
Sec. 901. Effective date.
SEC. 3. REFERENCES.
Except as otherwise expressly provided, wherever in this Act an amendment
or repeal is expressed in terms of an amendment to, or repeal of, a section or
other provision, the amendment or repeal shall be considered to be made to a
section or other provision of the Social Security Act.
SEC. 4. FINDINGS.
The Congress makes the following findings:
(1) The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Program
established by the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity
Reconciliation Act of 1996 (Public Law 104-193) has succeeded in moving
families from welfare to work and reducing child poverty.
(A) There has been a dramatic increase in the employment of current
and former welfare recipients. The percentage of working recipients
reached an all-time high in fiscal year 1999 and continued steady in
fiscal years 2000 and 2001. In fiscal year 2003, 31.3 percent of adult
recipients were counted as meeting the work participation requirements.
All States but one met the overall participation rate standard in fiscal
year 2003, as did the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.
(B) Earnings for welfare recipients remaining on the rolls have also
increased significantly, as have earnings for female-headed households.
The increases have been particularly large for the bottom 2 income
quintiles, that is, those women who are most likely to be former or
present welfare recipients.
(C) Welfare dependency has plummeted. As of June 2004, 1,969,909
families and 4,727,291 individuals were receiving assistance. Accordingly,
the number of families in the welfare caseload and the number of
individuals receiving cash assistance declined 55 percent and 61 percent,
respectively, since the enactment of TANF.
(D) The child poverty rate continued to decline between 1996 and 2003,
falling 14 percent from 20.5 to 17.6 percent. Child poverty rates for
African-American and Hispanic children have also fallen dramatically
during the past 7 years.
(2) As a Nation, we have made substantial progress in reducing teen
pregnancies and births, slowing increases in nonmarital childbearing, and
improving child support collections and paternity establishment.
(A) The birth rate to teenagers declined 30 percent from its high in
1991 to 2002. The 2002 teenage birth rate of 43.0 per 1,000 women aged
15-19 is the lowest recorded birth rate for teenagers.
(B) During the period from 1991 through 2001, teenage birth rates fell
in all States and the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the
Virgin Islands. Declines also have spanned age, racial, and ethnic groups.
There has been success in lowering the birth rate for both younger and
older teens. The birth rate for those 15-17 years of age has declined 40
percent since 1991, and the rate for those 18 and 19 has declined 23
percent. The rate for African American teens--until recently the
highest--has declined the most--42 percent from 1991 through
2002.
(C) Since the enactment of the Personal Responsibility and Work
Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996, child support collections within
the child support enforcement system have grown every year, increasing
from $12,000,000,000 in fiscal year 1996 to over $21,000,000,000 in fiscal
year 2003. The number of paternities established or acknowledged in fiscal
year 2003 (over 1,500,000) includes a more than 100 percent increase
through in-hospital acknowledgement programs--862,043 in 2003 compared to
324,652 in 1996. Child support collections were made in nearly 8,000,000
cases in fiscal year 2003, significantly more than the almost 4,000,000
cases having a collection in 1996.
(3) The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act
of 1996 gave States great flexibility in the use of Federal funds to develop
innovative programs to help families leave welfare and begin employment and
to encourage the formation of 2-parent families.
(A) Total Federal and State TANF expenditures in fiscal year 2003 were
$26,300,000,000, up from $25,400,000,000 in fiscal year 2002 and
$22,600,000,000 in fiscal year 1999. This increased spending is
attributable to significant new investments in supportive services in the
TANF program, such as child care and activities to support work.
(B) Since the welfare reform effort began there has been a dramatic
increase in work participation (including employment, community service,
and work experience) among welfare recipients, as well as an unprecedented
reduction in the caseload because recipients have left welfare for
work.
(C) States are making policy choices and investment decisions best
suited to the needs of their citizens.
(i) To expand aid to working families, almost all States disregard a
portion of a family's earned income when determining benefit
levels.
(ii) Most States increased the limits on countable assets above the
former Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) program. Every
State has increased the vehicle asset level above the prior AFDC limit
for a family's primary automobile.
(iii) States are experimenting with programs to promote marriage and
paternal involvement. Over half of the States have eliminated
restrictions on 2-parent families. Many States use TANF, child support,
or State funds to support community-based activities to help fathers
become more involved in their children's lives or strengthen
relationships between mothers and fathers.
(4) However, despite this success, there is still progress to be made.
Policies that support and promote more work, strengthen families, and
enhance State flexibility are necessary to continue to build on the success
of welfare reform.
(A) Significant numbers of welfare recipients still are not engaged in
employment-related activities. While all States have met the overall work
participation rates required by law, in an average month, only 41 percent
of all families with an adult participated in work activities that were
countable toward the State's participation rate. In fiscal year 2003, four
jurisdictions failed to meet the more rigorous 2-parent work requirements,
and 25 jurisdictions (States and territories) are not subject to the
2-parent requirements, most because they moved their 2-parent cases to
separate State programs where they are not subject to a penalty for
failing the 2-parent rates.
(B) In 2002, 34 percent of all births in the U.S. were to unmarried
women. And, with fewer teens entering marriage, the proportion of births
to unmarried teens has increased dramatically (80 percent in 2002 versus
30 percent in 1970). The negative consequences of out-of-wedlock birth on
the mother, the child, the family, and society are well documented. These
include increased likelihood of welfare dependency, increased risks of low
birth weight, poor cognitive development, child abuse and neglect, and
teen parenthood, and decreased likelihood of having an intact marriage
during adulthood.
(C) There has been a dramatic rise in cohabitation as marriages have
declined. It is estimated that 40 percent of children are expected to live
in a cohabiting-parent family at some point during their childhood.
Children in single-parent households and cohabiting-parent households are
at much higher risk of child abuse than children in intact married
families.
(D) Children who live apart from their biological fathers, on average,
are more likely to be poor, experience educational, health, emotional, and
psychological problems, be victims of child abuse, engage in criminal
behavior, and become involved with the juvenile justice system than their
peers who live with their married, biological mother and father. A child
living with a single mother is nearly 5 times as likely to be poor as a
child living in a married-couple family. In 2003, in married-couple
families, the child poverty rate was 8.6 percent, and in households headed
by a single mother the poverty rate was 41.7 percent.
(5) Therefore, it is the sense of the Congress that increasing success
in moving families from welfare to work, as well as in promoting healthy
marriage and other means of improving child well-being, are very important
Government interests and the policy contained in part A of title IV of the
Social Security Act (as amended by this Act) is intended to serve those
ends.
TITLE I--TANF
SEC. 101. PURPOSES.
Section 401(a) (42 U.S.C. 601(a)) is amended--
(1) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking `increase' and
inserting `improve child well-being by increasing';
(2) in paragraph (1), by inserting `and services' after
`assistance';
(3) in paragraph (2), by striking `parents on government benefits' and
inserting `families on government benefits and reduce poverty'; and
(4) in paragraph (4), by striking `two-parent families' and inserting
`healthy, 2-parent married families, and encourage responsible
fatherhood'.
SEC. 102. FAMILY ASSISTANCE GRANTS.
(a) Extension of Authority- Section 403(a)(1)(A) (42 U.S.C. 603(a)(1)(A))
is amended--
(1) by striking `1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, and 2003' and
inserting `2006 through 2010'; and
(2) by inserting `payable to the State for the fiscal year' before the
period.
(b) State Family Assistance Grant- Section 403(a)(1)(C) (42 U.S.C.
603(a)(1)(C)) is amended by striking `fiscal year 2003' and inserting `each of
fiscal years 2006 through 2010'.
(c) Matching Grants for the Territories- Section 1108(b)(2) (42 U.S.C.
1308(b)(2)) is amended by striking `1997 through 2003' and inserting `2006
through 2010'.
SEC. 103. PROMOTION OF FAMILY FORMATION AND HEALTHY MARRIAGE.
(a) State Plans- Section 402(a)(1)(A) (42 U.S.C. 602(a)(1)(A)) is amended
by adding at the end the following:
`(vii) Encourage equitable treatment of married, 2-parent families
under the program referred to in clause (i).'.
(b) Healthy Marriage Promotion Grants; Repeal of Bonus for Reduction of
Illegitimacy Ratio-
(1) IN GENERAL- Section 403(a)(2) (42 U.S.C. 603(a)(2)) is amended to
read as follows:
`(2) HEALTHY MARRIAGE PROMOTION GRANTS-
`(A) AUTHORITY- The Secretary shall award competitive grants to
States, territories, and tribal organizations for not more than 50 percent
of the cost of developing and implementing innovative programs to promote
and support healthy, married, 2-parent families.
`(B) HEALTHY MARRIAGE PROMOTION ACTIVITIES- Funds provided under
subparagraph (A) shall be used to support any of the following programs or
activities:
`(i) Public advertising campaigns on the value of marriage and the
skills needed to increase marital stability and health.
`(ii) Education in high schools on the value of marriage,
relationship skills, and budgeting.
`(iii) Marriage education, marriage skills, and relationship skills
programs, that may include parenting skills, financial management,
conflict resolution, and job and career advancement, for non-married
pregnant women and non-married expectant fathers.
`(iv) Pre-marital education and marriage skills training for engaged
couples and for couples or individuals interested in
marriage.
`(v) Marriage enhancement and marriage skills training programs for
married couples.
`(vi) Divorce reduction programs that teach relationship
skills.
`(vii) Marriage mentoring programs which use married couples as role
models and mentors in at-risk communities.
`(viii) Programs to reduce the disincentives to marriage in
means-tested aid programs, if offered in conjunction with any activity
described in this subparagraph.
`(i) IN GENERAL- Out of any money in the Treasury of the United
States not otherwise appropriated, there are appropriated for each of
fiscal years 2005 through 2010 $100,000,000 for grants under this
paragraph.
`(ii) EXTENDED AVAILABILITY OF FY2005 FUNDS- Funds appropriated
under clause (i) for fiscal year 2005 shall remain available to the
Secretary through fiscal year 2006, for grants under this paragraph for
fiscal year 2005.'.
(2) EFFECTIVE DATE- The amendment made by paragraph (1) shall take
effect on the date of the enactment of this Act.
(c) Counting of Spending on Non-Eligible Families to Prevent and Reduce
Incidence of Out-Of-Wedlock Births, Encourage Formation and Maintenance of
Healthy, 2-Parent Married Families, or Encourage Responsible Fatherhood-
Section 409(a)(7)(B)(i) (42 U.S.C. 609(a)(7)(B)(i)) is amended by adding at
the end the following:
`(V) COUNTING OF SPENDING ON NON-ELIGIBLE FAMILIES TO PREVENT AND
REDUCE INCIDENCE OF OUT-OF-WEDLOCK BIRTHS, ENCOURAGE FORMATION AND
MAINTENANCE OF HEALTHY, 2-PARENT MARRIED FAMILIES, OR ENCOURAGE
RESPONSIBLE FATHERHOOD- The term `qualified State expenditures'
includes the total expenditures by the State during the fiscal year
under all State programs for a purpose described in paragraph (3) or
(4) of section 401(a).'.
SEC. 104. SUPPLEMENTAL GRANT FOR POPULATION INCREASES IN CERTAIN
STATES.
Section 403(a)(3) (42 U.S.C. 603(a)(3)) is amended--
(1) in subparagraph (E)--
(A) by striking `1998, 1999, 2000, and 2001' and inserting `2006
through 2009'; and
(B) by striking `, in a total amount not to exceed
$800,000,000';
(2) in subparagraph (G), by striking `2001' and inserting `2009';
and
(3) by striking subparagraph (H) and inserting the following:
`(H) FURTHER PRESERVATION OF GRANT AMOUNTS- A State that was a
qualifying State under this paragraph for fiscal year 2004 or any prior
fiscal year shall be entitled to receive from the Secretary for each of
fiscal years 2006 through 2009 a grant in an amount equal to the amount
required to be paid to the State under this paragraph for the most recent
fiscal year for which the State was a qualifying State.'.
SEC. 105. BONUS TO REWARD EMPLOYMENT ACHIEVEMENT.
(a) In General- Section 403(a)(4) (42 U.S.C. 603(a)(4)) is amended--
(1) in the paragraph heading, by striking `HIGH PERFORMANCE STATES' and
inserting `EMPLOYMENT ACHIEVEMENT'; and
(2) by striking subparagraphs (A) through (F) and inserting the
following:
`(A) IN GENERAL- The Secretary shall make a grant pursuant to this
paragraph to each State for each bonus year for which the State is an
employment achievement State.
`(i) IN GENERAL- Subject to clause (ii) of this subparagraph, the
Secretary shall determine the amount of the grant payable under this
paragraph to an employment achievement State for a bonus year, which
shall be based on the performance of the State as determined under
subparagraph (D)(i) for the fiscal year that immediately precedes the
bonus year.
`(ii) LIMITATION- The amount payable to a State under this paragraph
for a bonus year shall not exceed 5 percent of the State family
assistance grant.
`(C) FORMULA FOR MEASURING STATE PERFORMANCE-
`(i) IN GENERAL- Subject to clause (ii), not later than October 1,
2006, the Secretary, in consultation with the States, shall develop a
formula for measuring State performance in operating the State program
funded under this part so as to achieve the goals of employment entry,
job retention, and increased earnings from employment for families
receiving assistance under the program, as measured on an absolute basis
and on the basis of improvement in State performance.
`(ii) SPECIAL RULE FOR BONUS YEAR 2006- For the purposes of awarding
a bonus under this paragraph for bonus year 2006, the Secretary may
measure the performance of a State in fiscal year 2005 using the job
entry rate, job retention rate, and earnings gain rate components of the
formula developed under section 403(a)(4)(C) as in effect immediately
before the effective date of this paragraph.
`(D) DETERMINATION OF STATE PERFORMANCE- For each bonus year, the
Secretary shall--
`(i) use the formula developed under subparagraph (C) to determine
the performance of each eligible State for the fiscal year that precedes
the bonus year; and
`(ii) prescribe performance standards in such a manner so as to
ensure that--
`(I) the average annual total amount of grants to be made under
this paragraph for each bonus year equals $100,000,000;
and
`(II) the total amount of grants to be made under this paragraph
for all bonus years equals $600,000,000.
`(E) DEFINITIONS- In this paragraph:
`(i) BONUS YEAR- The term `bonus year' means each of fiscal years
2006 through 2011.
`(ii) EMPLOYMENT ACHIEVEMENT STATE- The term `employment achievement
State' means, with respect to a bonus year, an eligible State whose
performance determined pursuant to subparagraph (D)(i) for the fiscal
year preceding the bonus year equals or exceeds the performance
standards prescribed under subparagraph (D)(ii) for such preceding
fiscal year.
`(i) IN GENERAL- Out of any money in the Treasury of the United
States not otherwise appropriated, there are appropriated for fiscal
years 2006 through 2011 $600,000,000 for grants under this
paragraph.
`(ii) EXTENDED AVAILABILITY OF PRIOR APPROPRIATION- Amounts
appropriated under section 403(a)(4)(F) of the Social Security Act (as
in effect before the date of the enactment of this clause) that have not
been expended as of such date of enactment shall remain available
through fiscal year 2006 for grants under section 403(a)(4) of such Act
(as in effect before such date of enactment) for bonus year
2005.[needed?]
`(G) GRANTS FOR TRIBAL ORGANIZATIONS- This paragraph shall apply with
respect to tribal organizations in the same manner in which this paragraph
applies with respect to States. In determining the criteria under which to
make grants to tribal organizations under this paragraph, the Secretary
shall consult with tribal organizations.'.
(b) Effective Date- The amendments made by subsection (a) shall take
effect on the date of the enactment of this Act.
SEC. 106. CONTINGENCY FUND.
(a) Deposits Into Fund- Section 403(b)(2) (42 U.S.C. 603(b)(2)) is
amended--
(1) by striking `1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, and 2003' and
inserting `2006 through 2010'; and
(2) by striking all that follows `$2,000,000,000' and inserting a
period.
(b) Grants- Section 403(b)(3)(C)(ii) (42 U.S.C. 603(b)(3)(C)(ii)) is
amended by striking `fiscal years 1997 through 2005' and inserting `fiscal
years 2006 through 2010'.
(c) Definition of Needy State- Clauses (i) and (ii) of section
403(b)(5)(B) (42 U.S.C. 603(b)(5)(B)) are amended by inserting after `1996'
the following: `, and the Food Stamp Act of 1977 as in effect during the
corresponding 3-month period in the fiscal year preceding such most recently
concluded 3-month period,'.
(d) Annual Reconciliation: Federal Matching of State Expenditures Above
`Maintenance of Effort' Level- Section 403(b)(6) (42 U.S.C. 603(b)(6)) is
amended--
(1) in subparagraph (A)(ii)--
(A) by adding `and' at the end of subclause (I);
(B) by striking `; and' at the end of subclause (II) and inserting a
period; and
(C) by striking subclause (III);
(2) in subparagraph (B)(i)(II), by striking all that follows `section
409(a)(7)(B)(iii))' and inserting a period;
(3) by amending subparagraph (B)(ii)(I) to read as follows:
`(I) the qualified State expenditures (as defined in section
409(a)(7)(B)(i)) for the fiscal year; plus'; and
(4) by striking subparagraph (C).
(e) Consideration of Certain Child Care Expenditures in Determining State
Compliance With Contingency Fund Maintenance of Effort Requirement- Section
409(a)(10) (42 U.S.C. 609(a)(10)) is amended--
(1) by striking `(other than the expenditures described in subclause
(I)(bb) of that paragraph)) under the State program funded under this part'
and inserting a close parenthesis; and
(2) by striking `excluding any amount expended by the State for child
care under subsection (g) or (i) of section 402 (as in effect during fiscal
year 1994) for fiscal year 1994,'.
SEC. 107. USE OF FUNDS.
(a) General Rules- Section 404(a)(2) (42 U.S.C. 604(a)(2)) is amended by
striking `in any manner that' and inserting `for any purposes or activities
for which'.
(b) Treatment of Interstate Immigrants-
(1) STATE PLAN PROVISION- Section 402(a)(1)(B) (42 U.S.C. 602(a)(1)(B))
is amended by striking clause (i) and redesignating clauses (ii) through
(iv) as clauses (i) through (iii), respectively.
(2) USE OF FUNDS- Section 404 (42 U.S.C. 604) is amended by striking
subsection (c).
(c) Increase in Amount Transferable to Child Care- Section 404(d)(1) (42
U.S.C. 604(d)(1)) is amended by striking `30' and inserting `50'.
(d) Increase in Amount Transferable to Title XX Programs- Section
404(d)(2)(B) (42 U.S.C. 604(d)(2)(B)) is amended to read as follows:
`(B) APPLICABLE PERCENT- For purposes of subparagraph (A), the
applicable percent is 10 percent for fiscal year 2006 and each succeeding
fiscal year.'.
(e) Clarification of Authority of States to Use TANF Funds Carried Over
From Prior Years to Provide TANF Benefits and Services- Section 404(e) (42
U.S.C. 604(e)) is amended to read as follows:
`(e) Authority to Carryover or Reserve Certain Amounts for Benefits or
Services or for Future Contingencies-
`(1) CARRYOVER- A State or tribe may use a grant made to the State or
tribe under this part for any fiscal year to provide, without fiscal year
limitation, any benefit or service that may be provided under the State or
tribal program funded under this part.
`(2) CONTINGENCY RESERVE- A State or tribe may designate any portion of
a grant made to the State or tribe under this part as a contingency reserve
for future needs, and may use any amount so designated to provide, without
fiscal year limitation, any benefit or service that may be provided under
the State or tribal program funded under this part. If a State or tribe so
designates a portion of such a grant, the State shall, on an annual basis,
include in its report under section 411(a) the amount so designated.'.
SEC. 108. REPEAL OF FEDERAL LOAN FOR STATE WELFARE PROGRAMS.
(a) Repeal- Section 406 (42 U.S.C. 606) is repealed.
(b) Conforming Amendments-
(1) Section 409(a) (42 U.S.C. 609(a)) is amended by striking paragraph
(6).
(2) Section 412 (42 U.S.C. 612) is amended by striking subsection (f)
and redesignating subsections (g) through (i) as subsections (f) through
(h), respectively.
(3) Section 1108(a)(2) (42 U.S.C. 1308(a)(2)) is amended by striking
`406,'.
SEC. 109. UNIVERSAL ENGAGEMENT AND FAMILY SELF-SUFFICIENCY PLAN
REQUIREMENTS.
(a) Modification of State Plan Requirements- Section 402(a)(1)(A) (42
U.S.C. 602(a)(1)(A)) is amended by striking clauses (ii) and (iii) and
inserting the following:
`(ii) Require a parent or caretaker receiving assistance under the
program to engage in work or alternative self-sufficiency activities (as
defined by the State), consistent with section 407(e)(2).
`(iii) Require families receiving assistance under the program to
engage in activities in accordance with family self-sufficiency plans
developed pursuant to section 408(b).'.
(b) Establishment of Family Self-Sufficiency Plans-
(1) IN GENERAL- Section 408(b) (42 U.S.C. 608(b)) is amended to read as
follows:
`(b) Family Self-Sufficiency Plans-
`(1) IN GENERAL- A State to which a grant is made under section 403
shall--
`(A) assess, in the manner deemed appropriate by the State, the
skills, prior work experience, and employability of each work-eligible
individual (as defined in section 407(b)(2)(C)) receiving assistance under
the State program funded under this part;
`(B) establish for each family that includes such an individual, in
consultation as the State deems appropriate with the individual, a
self-sufficiency plan that specifies appropriate activities described in
the State plan submitted pursuant to section 402, including direct work
activities as appropriate designed to assist the family in achieving their
maximum degree of self-sufficiency, and that provides for the ongoing
participation of the individual in the activities;
`(C) require, at a minimum, each such individual to participate in
activities in accordance with the self-sufficiency plan;
`(D) monitor the participation of each such individual in the
activities specified in the self sufficiency plan, and regularly review
the progress of the family toward self-sufficiency;
`(E) upon such a review, revise the self-sufficiency plan and
activities as the State deems appropriate.
`(2) TIMING- The State shall comply with paragraph (1) with respect to a
family--
`(A) in the case of a family that, as of October 1, 2005, is not
receiving assistance from the State program funded under this part, not
later than 60 days after the family first receives assistance on the basis
of the most recent application for the assistance; or
`(B) in the case of a family that, as of such date, is receiving the
assistance, not later than 12 months after the date of enactment of this
subsection.
`(3) STATE DISCRETION- A State shall have sole discretion, consistent
with section 407, to define and design activities for families for purposes
of this subsection, to develop methods for monitoring and reviewing progress
pursuant to this subsection, and to make modifications to the plan as the
State deems appropriate to assist the individual in increasing their degree
of self-sufficiency.
`(4) RULE OF INTERPRETATION- Nothing in this part shall preclude a State
from requiring participation in work and any other activities the State
deems appropriate for helping families achieve self-sufficiency and
improving child well-being.'.
(2) PENALTY FOR FAILURE TO ESTABLISH FAMILY SELF-SUFFICIENCY PLAN-
Section 409(a)(3) (42 U.S.C. 609(a)(3)) is amended--
(A) in the paragraph heading, by inserting `or establish family
self-sufficiency plan' after `rates'; and
(B) in subparagraph (A), by inserting `or 408(b)' after
`407(a)'.
SEC. 110. WORK PARTICIPATION REQUIREMENTS.
(a) Elimination of Separate Participation Rate Requirements for 2-Parent
Families-
(1) Section 407 (42 U.S.C. 607) is amended in each of subsections (a)
and (b) by striking paragraph (2).
(2) Section 407(b)(4) (42 U.S.C. 607(b)(4)) is amended by striking
`paragraphs (1)(B) and (2)(B)' and inserting `paragraph (1)(B)'.
(3) Section 407(c)(1) (42 U.S.C. 607(c)(1)) is amended by striking
subparagraph (B).
(4) Section 407(c)(2)(D) (42 U.S.C. 607(c)(2)(D)) is amended by striking
`paragraphs (1)(B)(i) and (2)(B) of subsection (b)' and inserting
`subsection (b)(1)(B)(i)'.
(b) Work Participation Requirements- Section 407 (42 U.S.C. 607) is
amended by striking all that precedes subsection (b)(3) and inserting the
following:
`SEC. 407. WORK PARTICIPATION REQUIREMENTS.
`(a) Participation Rate Requirements- A State to which a grant is made
under section 403 for a fiscal year shall achieve a minimum participation rate
equal to not less than--
`(1) 50 percent for fiscal year 2006;
`(2) 55 percent for fiscal year 2007;
`(3) 60 percent for fiscal year 2008;
`(4) 65 percent for fiscal year 2009; and
`(5) 70 percent for fiscal year 2010 and each succeeding fiscal
year.
`(b) Calculation of Participation Rates-
`(1) AVERAGE MONTHLY RATE- For purposes of subsection (a), the
participation rate of a State for a fiscal year is the average of the
participation rates of the State for each month in the fiscal year.
`(2) MONTHLY PARTICIPATION RATES; INCORPORATION OF 40-HOUR WORK WEEK
STANDARD-
`(A) IN GENERAL- For purposes of paragraph (1), the participation rate
of a State for a month is--
`(i) the total number of countable hours (as defined in subsection
(c)) with respect to the counted families for the State for the month;
divided by
`(ii) 160 multiplied by the number of counted families for the State
for the month.
`(B) COUNTED FAMILIES DEFINED-
`(i) IN GENERAL- In subparagraph (A), the term `counted family'
means, with respect to a State and a month, a family that includes a
work-eligible individual and that receives assistance in the month under
the State program funded under this part, subject to clause
(ii).
`(ii) STATE OPTION TO EXCLUDE CERTAIN FAMILIES- At the option of a
State, the term `counted family' shall not include--
`(I) a family in the first month for which the family receives
assistance from a State program funded under this part on the basis of
the most recent application for such assistance; or
`(II) on a case-by-case basis, a family in which the youngest
child has not attained 12 months of age.
`(iii) STATE OPTION TO INCLUDE INDIVIDUALS RECEIVING ASSISTANCE
UNDER A TRIBAL FAMILY ASSISTANCE PLAN OR TRIBAL WORK PROGRAM- At the
option of a State, the term `counted family' may include families in the
State that are receiving assistance under a tribal family assistance
plan approved under section 412 or under a tribal work program to which
funds are provided under this part.
`(C) WORK-ELIGIBLE INDIVIDUAL DEFINED- In this section, the term
`work-eligible individual' means an individual--
`(i) who is married or a single head of household; and
`(ii) whose needs are (or, but for sanctions under this part that
have been in effect for more than 3 months (whether or not consecutive)
in the preceding 12 months or under part D, would be) included in
determining the amount of cash assistance to be provided to the family
under the State program funded under this part.'.
(c) Recalibration of Caseload Reduction Credit-
(1) IN GENERAL- Section 407(b)(3)(A)(ii) (42 U.S.C. 607(b)(3)(A)(ii)) is
amended to read as follows:
`(ii) the average monthly number of families that received
assistance under the State program funded under this part during the
base year.'.
(2) CONFORMING AMENDMENT- Section 407(b)(3)(B) (42 U.S.C. 607(b)(3)(B))
is amended by striking `and eligibility criteria' and all that follows
through the close parenthesis and inserting `and the eligibility criteria in
effect during the then applicable base year'.
(3) BASE YEAR DEFINED- Section 407(b)(3) (42 U.S.C. 607(b)(3)) is
amended by adding at the end the following:
`(C) BASE YEAR DEFINED- In this paragraph, the term `base year' means,
with respect to a fiscal year--
`(i) if the fiscal year is fiscal year 2006, fiscal year
1996;
`(ii) if the fiscal year is fiscal year 2007, fiscal year
1998;
`(iii) if the fiscal year is fiscal year 2008, fiscal year 2001;
or
`(iv) if the fiscal year is fiscal year 2009 or any succeeding
fiscal year, the then 4th preceding fiscal year.'.
(d) Superachiever Credit- Section 407(b) (42 U.S.C. 607(b)) is amended by
striking paragraphs (4) and (5) and inserting the following:
`(4) SUPERACHIEVER CREDIT-
`(A) IN GENERAL- The participation rate, determined under paragraphs
(1) and (2) of this subsection, of a superachiever State for a fiscal year
shall be increased by the lesser of--
`(i) the amount (if any) of the superachiever credit applicable to
the State; or
`(ii) the number of percentage points (if any) by which the minimum
participation rate required by subsection (a) for the fiscal year
exceeds 50 percent.
`(B) SUPERACHIEVER STATE- For purposes of subparagraph (A), a State is
a superachiever State if the State caseload for fiscal year 2001 has
declined by at least 60 percent from the State caseload for fiscal year
1995.
`(C) AMOUNT OF CREDIT- The superachiever credit applicable to a State
is the number of percentage points (if any) by which the decline referred
to in subparagraph (B) exceeds 60 percent.
`(D) DEFINITIONS- In this paragraph:
`(i) STATE CASELOAD FOR FISCAL YEAR 2001- The term `State caseload
for fiscal year 2001' means the average monthly number of families that
received assistance during fiscal year 2001 under the State program
funded under this part.
`(ii) STATE CASELOAD FOR FISCAL YEAR 1995- The term `State caseload
for fiscal year 1995' means the average monthly number of families that
received aid under the State plan approved under part A (as in effect on
September 30, 1995) during fiscal year 1995.'.
(e) Countable Hours- Section 407 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 607) is amended by
striking subsections (c) and (d) and inserting the following:
`(1) DEFINITION- In subsection (b)(2), the term `countable hours' means,
with respect to a family for a month, the total number of hours in the month
in which any member of the family who is a work-eligible individual is
engaged in a direct work activity or other activities specified by the State
(excluding an activity that does not address a purpose specified in section
401(a)), subject to the other provisions of this subsection.
`(2) LIMITATIONS- Subject to such regulations as the Secretary may
prescribe:
`(A) MINIMUM WEEKLY AVERAGE OF 24 HOURS OF DIRECT WORK ACTIVITIES
REQUIRED- If the work-eligible individuals in a family are engaged in a
direct work activity for an average total of fewer than 24 hours per week
in a month, then the number of countable hours with respect to the family
for the month shall be zero.
`(B) MAXIMUM WEEKLY AVERAGE OF 16 HOURS OF OTHER ACTIVITIES- An
average of not more than 16 hours per week of activities specified by the
State (subject to the exclusion described in paragraph (1)) may be
considered countable hours in a month with respect to a family.
`(3) SPECIAL RULES- For purposes of paragraph (1):
`(A) PARTICIPATION IN QUALIFIED ACTIVITIES-
`(i) IN GENERAL- If, with the approval of the State, the
work-eligible individuals in a family are engaged in 1 or more qualified
activities for an average total of at least 24 hours per week in a
month, then all such engagement in the month shall be considered
engagement in a direct work activity, subject to clause
(iii).
`(ii) QUALIFIED ACTIVITY DEFINED- The term `qualified activity'
means an activity specified by the State (subject to the exclusion
described in paragraph (1)) that meets such standards and criteria as
the State may specify, including--
`(I) substance abuse counseling or treatment;
`(II) rehabilitation treatment and services;
`(III) work-related education or training directed at enabling the
family member to work;
`(IV) job search or job readiness assistance; and
`(V) any other activity that addresses a purpose specified in
section 401(a).
`(I) IN GENERAL- Except as provided in subclause (II), clause (i)
shall not apply to a family for more than 3 months in any period of 24
consecutive months.
`(II) SPECIAL RULE APPLICABLE TO EDUCATION AND TRAINING- A State
may, on a case-by-case basis, apply clause (i) to a work-eligible
individual so that participation by the individual in education or
training, if needed to permit the individual to complete a certificate
program or other work-related education or training directed at
enabling the individual to fill a known job need in a local area, may
be considered countable hours with respect to the family of the
individual for not more than 4 months in any period of 24 consecutive
months.
`(B) SCHOOL ATTENDANCE BY TEEN HEAD OF HOUSEHOLD- The work-eligible
members of a family shall be considered to be engaged in a direct work
activity for an average of 40 hours per week in a month if the family
includes an individual who is married, or is a single head of household,
who has not attained 20 years of age, and the individual--
`(i) maintains satisfactory attendance at secondary school or the
equivalent in the month; or
`(ii) participates in education directly related to employment for
an average of at least 20 hours per week in the month.
`(d) Direct Work Activity- In this section, the term `direct work
activity' means--
`(1) unsubsidized employment;
`(2) subsidized private sector employment;
`(3) subsidized public sector employment;
`(4) on-the-job training;
`(5) supervised work experience; or
`(6) supervised community service.'.
(f) Penalties Against Individuals- Section 407(e)(1) (42 U.S.C. 607(e)(1))
is amended to read as follows:
`(1) REDUCTION OR TERMINATION OF ASSISTANCE-
`(A) IN GENERAL- Except as provided in paragraph (2), if an individual
in a family receiving assistance under a State program funded under this
part fails to engage in activities required in accordance with this
section, or other activities required by the State under the program, and
the family does not otherwise engage in activities in accordance with the
self-sufficiency plan established for the family pursuant to section
408(b), the State shall--
`(i) if the failure is partial or persists for not more than 1
month--
`(I) reduce the amount of assistance otherwise payable to the
family pro rata (or more, at the option of the State) with respect to
any period during a month in which the failure occurs;
or
`(II) terminate all assistance to the family, subject to such good
cause exceptions as the State may establish; or
`(ii) if the failure is total and persists for at least 2
consecutive months, terminate all cash payments to the family including
qualified State expenditures (as defined in section 409(a)(7)(B)(i)) for
at least 1 month and thereafter until the State determines that the
individual has resumed full participation in the activities, subject to
such good cause exceptions as the State may establish.
`(i) IN GENERAL- In the event of a conflict between a requirement of
clause (i)(II) or (ii) of subparagraph (A) and a requirement of a State
constitution, or of a State statute that, before 1966, obligated local
government to provide assistance to needy parents and children, the
State constitutional or statutory requirement shall control.
`(ii) LIMITATION- Clause (i) of this subparagraph shall not apply
after the 1-year period that begins with the date of the enactment of
this subparagraph.'.
(g) Conforming Amendments-
(1) Section 407(f) (42 U.S.C. 607(f)) is amended in each of paragraphs
(1) and (2) by striking `work activity described in subsection (d)' and
inserting `direct work activity'.
(2) The heading of section 409(a)(14) (42 U.S.C. 609(a)(14)) is amended
by inserting `or refusing to engage in activities under a family
self-sufficiency plan' after `work'.
SEC. 111. MAINTENANCE OF EFFORT.
(a) In General- Section 409(a)(7) (42 U.S.C. 609(a)(7)) is amended--
(1) in subparagraph (A), by striking `fiscal year 1998, 1999, 2000,
2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, or 2006' and inserting `fiscal year 2006,
2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, or 2011'; and
(2) in subparagraph (B)(ii)--
(A) by inserting `preceding' before `fiscal year'; and
(B) by striking `for fiscal years 1997 through 2005,'.
(b) State Spending on Promoting Healthy Marriage-
(1) IN GENERAL- Section 404 (42 U.S.C. 604) is amended by adding at the
end the following:
`(l) Marriage Promotion- A State, territory, or tribal organization to
which a grant is made under section 403(a)(2) may use a grant made to the
State, territory, or tribal organization under any other provision of section
403 for marriage promotion activities, and the amount of any such grant so
used shall be considered State funds for purposes of section 403(a)(2).'.
(2) FEDERAL TANF FUNDS USED FOR MARRIAGE PROMOTION DISREGARDED FOR
PURPOSES OF MAINTENANCE OF EFFORT REQUIREMENT- Section 409(a)(7)(B)(i) (42
U.S.C. 609(a)(7)(B)(i)), as amended by section 103(c) of this Act, is
amended by adding at the end the following:
`(VI) EXCLUSION OF FEDERAL TANF FUNDS USED FOR MARRIAGE PROMOTION
ACTIVITIES- Such term does not include the amount of any grant made to
the State under section 403 that is expended for a marriage promotion
activity.'.
SEC. 112. PERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENT.
(a) State Plans- Section 402(a) (42 U.S.C. 602(a)) is amended--
(A) in subparagraph (A)--
(i) by redesignating clause (vi) and clause (vii) (as added by
section 103(a) of this Act) as clauses (vii) and (viii), respectively;
and
(ii) by striking clause (v) and inserting the following:
`(v) The document shall--
`(I) describe how the State will pursue ending dependence of needy
families on government benefits and reducing poverty by promoting job
preparation and work;
`(II) describe how the State will encourage the formation and
maintenance of healthy 2-parent married families, encourage
responsible fatherhood, and prevent and reduce the incidence of
out-of-wedlock pregnancies;
`(III) include specific, numerical, and measurable performance
objectives for accomplishing subclauses (I) and (II), and with respect
to subclause (I), include objectives consistent with the criteria used
by the Secretary in establishing performance targets under section
403(a)(4)(B) if available; and
`(IV) describe the methodology that the State will use to measure
State performance in relation to each such objective.
`(vi) Describe any strategies and programs the State may be
undertaking to address--
`(I) employment retention and advancement for recipients of
assistance under the program, including placement into high-demand
jobs, and whether the jobs are identified using labor market
information;
`(II) efforts to reduce teen pregnancy;
`(III) services for struggling and noncompliant families, and for
clients with special problems; and
`(IV) program integration, including the extent to which
employment and training services under the program are provided
through the One-Stop delivery system created under the Workforce
Investment Act of 1998, and the extent to which former recipients of
such assistance have access to additional core, intensive, or training
services funded through such Act.'; and
(B) in subparagraph (B), by striking clause (iii) (as so redesignated
by section 107(b)(1) of this Act) and inserting the following:
`(iii) The document shall describe strategies and programs the State
is undertaking to engage religious organizations in the provision of
services funded under this part and efforts related to section 104 of
the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of
1996.
`(iv) The document shall describe strategies to improve program
management and performance.'; and
(2) in paragraph (4), by inserting `and tribal' after `that
local'.
(b) Consultation With State Regarding Plan and Design of Tribal Programs-
Section 412(b)(1) (42 U.S.C. 612(b)(1)) is amended--
(1) by striking `and' at the end of subparagraph (E);
(2) by striking the period at the end of subparagraph (F) and inserting
`; and'; and
(3) by adding at the end the following:
`(G) provides an assurance that the State in which the tribe is
located has been consulted regarding the plan and its design.'.
(c) Performance Measures- Section 413 (42 U.S.C. 613) is amended by adding
at the end the following:
`(k) Performance Improvement- The Secretary, in consultation with the
States, shall develop uniform performance measures designed to assess the
degree of effectiveness, and the degree of improvement, of State programs
funded under this part in accomplishing the purposes of this part.'.
(d) Annual Ranking of States- Section 413(d)(1) (42 U.S.C. 613(d)(1)) is
amended by striking `long-term private sector jobs' and inserting `private
sector jobs, the success of the recipients in retaining employment, the
ability of the recipients to increase their wages'.
SEC. 113. DATA COLLECTION AND REPORTING.
(a) Contents of Report- Section 411(a)(1)(A) (42 U.S.C. 611(a)(1)(A)) is
amended--
(1) in the matter preceding clause (i), by inserting `and on families
receiving assistance under State programs funded with other qualified State
expenditures (as defined in section 409(a)(7)(B))' before the colon;
(2) in clause (vii), by inserting `and minor parent' after `of each
adult';
(3) in clause (viii), by striking `and educational level';
(4) in clause (ix), by striking `, and if the latter 2, the amount
received';
(A) by striking `each type of'; and
(B) by inserting before the period `and, if applicable, the reason for
receipt of the assistance for a total of more than 60 months';
(6) in clause (xi), by striking the subclauses and inserting the
following:
`(I) Subsidized private sector employment.
`(II) Unsubsidized employment.
`(III) Public sector employment, supervised work experience, or
supervised community service.
`(IV) On-the-job training.
`(V) Job search and placement.
`(VIII) Other activities directed at the purposes of this part, as
specified in the State plan submitted pursuant to section
402.';
(7) in clause (xii), by inserting `and progress toward universal
engagement' after `participation rates';
(8) in clause (xiii), by striking `type and' before `amount of
assistance';
(9) in clause (xvi), by striking subclause (II) and redesignating
subclauses (III) through (V) as subclauses (II) through (IV), respectively;
and
(10) by adding at the end the following:
`(xviii) The date the family first received assistance from the
State program on the basis of the most recent application for such
assistance.
`(xix) Whether a self-sufficiency plan is established for the family
in accordance with section 408(b).
`(xx) With respect to any child in the family, the marital status of
the parents at the birth of the child, and if the parents were not then
married, whether the paternity of the child has been
established.'.
(b) Use of Samples- Section 411(a)(1)(B) (42 U.S.C. 611(a)(1)(B)) is
amended--
(A) by striking `a sample' and inserting `samples'; and
(B) by inserting before the period `, except that the Secretary may
designate core data elements that must be reported on all families';
and
(2) in clause (ii), by striking `funded under this part' and inserting
`described in subparagraph (A)'.
(c) Report on Families That Become Ineligible to Receive Assistance-
Section 411(a) (42 U.S.C. 611(a)) is amended--
(1) by striking paragraph (5);
(2) by redesignating paragraph (6) as paragraph (5); and
(3) by inserting after paragraph (5) (as so redesignated) the
following:
`(6) REPORT ON FAMILIES THAT BECOME INELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE ASSISTANCE-
The report required by paragraph (1) for a fiscal quarter shall include for
each month in the quarter the number of families and total number of
individuals that, during the month, became ineligible to receive assistance
under the State program funded under this part (broken down by the number of
families that become so ineligible due to earnings, changes in family
composition that result in increased earnings, sanctions, time limits, or
other specified reasons).'.
(d) Regulations- Section 411(a)(7) (42 U.S.C. 611(a)(7)) is amended--
(1) by inserting `and to collect the necessary data' before `with
respect to which reports';
(2) by striking `subsection' and inserting `section'; and
(3) by striking `in defining the data elements' and all that follows and
inserting `, the National Governors' Association, the American Public Human
Services Association, the National Conference of State Legislatures, and
others in defining the data elements.'.
(e) Additional Reports by States- Section 411 (42 U.S.C. 611) is
amended--
(1) by redesignating subsection (b) as subsection (e); and
(2) by inserting after subsection (a) the following:
`(b) Annual Reports on Program Characteristics- Not later than 90 days
after the end of fiscal year 2006 and each succeeding fiscal year, each
eligible State shall submit to the Secretary a report on the characteristics
of the State program funded under this part and other State programs funded
with qualified State expenditures (as defined in section 409(a)(7)(B)(i)). The
report shall include, with respect to each such program, the program name, a
description of program activities, the program purpose, the program
eligibility criteria, the sources of program funding, the number of program
beneficiaries, sanction policies, and any program work requirements.
`(c) Monthly Reports on Caseload- Not later than 3 months after the end of
a calendar month that begins 1 year or more after the enactment of this
subsection, each eligible State shall submit to the Secretary a report on the
number of families and total number of individuals receiving assistance in the
calendar month under the State program funded under this part.
`(d) Annual Report on Performance Improvement- Beginning with fiscal year
2007, not later than January 1 of each fiscal year, each eligible State shall
submit to the Secretary a report on achievement and improvement during the
preceding fiscal year under the numerical performance goals and measures under
the State program funded under this part with respect to each of the matters
described in section 402(a)(1)(A)(v).'.
(f) Annual Reports to Congress by the Secretary- Section 411(e), as so
redesignated by subsection (e) of this section, is amended--
(1) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking `and each fiscal
year thereafter' and inserting `and by July 1 of each fiscal year
thereafter';
(2) in paragraph (2), by striking `families applying for assistance,'
and by striking the last comma; and
(3) in paragraph (3), by inserting `and other programs funded with
qualified State expenditures (as defined in section 409(a)(7)(B)(i))' before
the semicolon.
(g) Increased Analysis of State Single Audit Reports- Section 411 (42
U.S.C. 611) is amended by adding at the end the following:
`(f) Increased Analysis of State Single Audit Reports-
`(1) IN GENERAL- Within 3 months after a State submits to the Secretary
a report pursuant to section 7502(a)(1)(A) of title 31, United States Code,
the Secretary shall analyze the report for the purpose of identifying the
extent and nature of problems related to the oversight by the State of
nongovernmental entities with respect to contracts entered into by such
entities with the State program funded under this part, and determining what
additional actions may be appropriate to help prevent and correct the
problems.
`(2) INCLUSION OF PROGRAM OVERSIGHT SECTION IN ANNUAL REPORT TO THE
CONGRESS- The Secretary shall include in each report under subsection (e) a
section on oversight of State programs funded under this part, including
findings on the extent and nature of the problems referred to in paragraph
(1), actions taken to resolve the problems, and to the extent the Secretary
deems appropriate make recommendations on changes needed to resolve the
problems.'.
SEC. 114. DIRECT FUNDING AND ADMINISTRATION BY INDIAN TRIBES.
(a) Tribal Family Assistance Grant- Section 412(a)(1)(A) (42 U.S.C.
612(a)(1)(A)) is amended by striking `1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, and
2003' and inserting `2006 through 2010'.
(b) Grants for Indian Tribes That Received JOBS Funds- Section
412(a)(2)(A) (42 U.S.C. 612(a)(2)(A)) is amended by striking `1997, 1998,
1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, and 2003' and inserting `2006 through 2010'.
SEC. 115. RESEARCH, EVALUATIONS, AND NATIONAL STUDIES.
(a) Secretary's Fund for Research, Demonstrations, and Technical
Assistance-
(1) IN GENERAL- Section 413 (42 U.S.C. 613), as amended by section
112(c) of this Act, is further amended by adding at the end the
following:
`(l) Funding for Research, Demonstrations, and Technical Assistance-
`(A) IN GENERAL- Out of any money in the Treasury of the United States
not otherwise appropriated, there are appropriated $102,000,000 for each
of fiscal years 2005 through 2010, which shall be available to the
Secretary for the purpose of conducting and supporting research and
demonstration projects by public or private entities, and providing
technical assistance to States, Indian tribal organizations, and such
other entities as the Secretary may specify that are receiving a grant
under this part, which shall be expended primarily on activities described
in section 403(a)(2)(B), and which shall be in addition to any other funds
made available under this part.
`(B) EXTENDED AVAILABILITY OF FY 2005 FUNDS- Funds appropriated under
this paragraph for fiscal year 2005 shall remain available to the
Secretary through fiscal year 2006, for use in accordance with this
paragraph for fiscal year 2005.
`(2) SET ASIDE FOR DEMONSTRATION PROJECTS FOR COORDINATION OF PROVISION
OF CHILD WELFARE AND TANF SERVICES TO TRIBAL FAMILIES AT RISK OF CHILD ABUSE
OR NEGLECT-
`(A) IN GENERAL- Of the amounts made available under paragraph (1) for
a fiscal year, $2,000,000 shall be awarded on a competitive basis to fund
demonstration projects designed to test the effectiveness of tribal
governments or tribal consortia in coordinating the provision to tribal
families at risk of child abuse or neglect of child welfare services and
services under tribal programs funded under this part.
`(B) USE OF FUNDS- A grant made to such a project shall be
used--
`(i) to improve case management for families eligible for assistance
from such a tribal program;
`(ii) for supportive services and assistance to tribal children in
out-of-home placements and the tribal families caring for such children,
including families who adopt such children; and
`(iii) for prevention services and assistance to tribal families at
risk of child abuse and neglect.
`(C) REPORTS- The Secretary may require a recipient of funds awarded
under this paragraph to provide the Secretary with such information as the
Secretary deems relevant to enable the Secretary to facilitate and oversee
the administration of any project for which funds are provided under this
paragraph.'.
(2) EFFECTIVE DATE- The amendment made by paragraph (1) shall take
effect on the date of the enactment of this Act.
(b) Funding of Studies and Demonstrations- Section 413(h)(1) (42 U.S.C.
613(h)(1)) is amended in the matter preceding subparagraph (A) by striking
`1997 through 2002' and inserting `2006 through 2010'.
(c) Report on Enforcement of Certain Affidavits of Support and Sponsor
Deeming- Not later than March 31, 2006, the Secretary of Health and Human
Services, in consultation with the Attorney General, shall submit to the
Congress a report on the enforcement of affidavits of support and sponsor
deeming as required by section 421, 422, and 432 of the Personal
Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996.
(d) Report on Coordination- Not later than 6 months after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Health and Human Services and the
Secretary of Labor shall jointly submit a report to the Congress describing
common or conflicting data elements, definitions, performance measures, and
reporting requirements in the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 and part A of
title IV of the Social Security Act, and, to the degree each Secretary deems
appropriate, at the discretion of either Secretary, any other program
administered by the respective Secretary, to allow greater coordination
between the welfare and workforce development systems.
SEC. 116. STUDIES BY THE CENSUS BUREAU AND THE GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY
OFFICE.
(1) IN GENERAL- Section 414(a) (42 U.S.C. 614(a)) is amended to read as
follows:
`(a) In General- The Bureau of the Census shall implement or enhance a
longitudinal survey of program participation, developed in consultation with
the Secretary and made available to interested parties, to allow for the
assessment of the outcomes of continued welfare reform on the economic and
child well-being of low-income families with children, including those who
received assistance or services from a State program funded under this part,
and, to the extent possible, shall provide State representative samples. The
content of the survey should include such information as may be necessary to
examine the issues of out-of-wedlock childbearing, marriage, welfare
dependency and compliance with work requirements, the beginning and ending of
spells of assistance, work, earnings and employment stability, and the
well-being of children.'.
(2) APPROPRIATION- Section 414(b) (42 U.S.C. 614(b)) is amended--
(A) by striking `1996,' and all that follows through `2003' and
inserting `2006 through 2010'; and
(B) by adding at the end the following: `Funds appropriated under this
subsection shall remain available through fiscal year 2010 to carry out
subsection (a).'.
(1) IN GENERAL- The Comptroller General of the United States shall
conduct a study to determine the combined effect of the phase-out rates for
Federal programs and policies which provide support to low-income families
and individuals as they move from welfare to work, at all earning levels up
to $35,000 per year, for at least 5 States including Wisconsin and
California, and any potential disincentives the combined phase-out rates
create for families to achieve independence or to marry.
(2) REPORT- Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of
this subsection, the Comptroller General shall submit a report to Congress
containing the results of the study conducted under this section and, as
appropriate, any recommendations consistent with the results.
SEC. 117. DEFINITION OF ASSISTANCE.
(a) In General- Section 419 (42 U.S.C. 619) is amended by adding at the
end the following:
`(A) IN GENERAL- The term `assistance' means payment, by cash,
voucher, or other means, to or for an individual or family for the purpose
of meeting a subsistence need of the individual or family (including food,
clothing, shelter, and related items, but not including costs of
transportation or child care).
`(B) EXCEPTION- The term `assistance' does not include a payment
described in subparagraph (A) to or for an individual or family on a
short-term, nonrecurring basis (as defined by the State in accordance with
regulations prescribed by the Secretary).'.
(b) Conforming Amendments-
(1) Section 404(a)(1) (42 U.S.C. 604(a)(1)) is amended by striking
`assistance' and inserting `aid'.
(2) Section 404(f) (42 U.S.C. 604(f)) is amended by striking
`assistance' and inserting `benefits or services'.
(3) Section 408(a)(5)(B)(i) (42 U.S.C. 608(a)(5)(B)(i)) is amended in
the heading by striking `ASSISTANCE' and inserting `AID'.
(4) Section 413(d)(2) (42 U.S.C. 613(d)(2)) is amended by striking
`assistance' and inserting `aid'.
SEC. 118. TECHNICAL CORRECTIONS.
(a) Section 409(c)(2) (42 U.S.C. 609(c)(2)) is amended by inserting a
comma after `appropriate'.
(b) Section 411(a)(1)(A)(ii)(III) (42 U.S.C. 611(a)(1)(A)(ii)(III)) is
amended by striking the last close parenthesis.
(c) Section 413(j)(2)(A) (42 U.S.C. 613(j)(2)(A)) is amended by striking
`section' and inserting `sections'.
(d)(1) Section 413 (42 U.S.C. 613) is amended by striking subsection (g)
and redesignating subsections (h) through (j) and subsections (k) and (l) (as
added by sections 112(c) and 115(a) of this Act, respectively) as subsections
(g) through (k), respectively.
(2) Each of the following provisions is amended by striking `413(j)' and
inserting `413(i)':
(A) Section 403(a)(5)(A)(ii)(III) (42 U.S.C.
603(a)(5)(A)(ii)(III)).
(B) Section 403(a)(5)(F) (42 U.S.C. 603(a)(5)(F)).
(C) Section 403(a)(5)(G)(ii) (42 U.S.C. 603(a)(5)(G)(ii)).
(D) Section 412(a)(3)(B)(iv) (42 U.S.C. 612(a)(3)(B)(iv)).
SEC. 119. FATHERHOOD PROGRAM.
(a) Short Title- This section may be cited as the `Promotion and Support
of Responsible Fatherhood and Healthy Marriage Act of 2005'.
(1) IN GENERAL- Title I of the Personal Responsibility and Work
Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (Public Law 104-193) is amended by
adding at the end the following:
`SEC. 117. FATHERHOOD PROGRAM.
`(a) In General- Title IV (42 U.S.C. 601-679b) is amended by inserting
after part B the following:
`PART C--FATHERHOOD PROGRAM
`SEC. 441. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES.
`(a) Findings- The Congress finds that there is substantial evidence
strongly indicating the urgent need to promote and support involved,
committed, and responsible fatherhood, and to encourage and support healthy
marriages between parents raising children, including data demonstrating the
following:
`(1) In approximately 84 percent of cases where a parent is absent, that
parent is the father.
`(2) If current trends continue, half of all children born today will
live apart from one of their parents, usually their father, at some point
before they turn 18.
`(3) Where families (whether intact or with a parent absent) are living
in poverty, a significant factor is the father's lack of job skills.
`(4) Committed and responsible fathering during infancy and early
childhood contributes to the development of emotional security, curiosity,
and math and verbal skills.
`(5) An estimated 19,400,000 children (27 percent) live apart from their
biological father.
`(6) Forty percent of children under age 18 not living with their
biological father had not seen their father even once in the last 12 months,
according to national survey data.
`(b) Purposes- The purposes of this part are:
`(1) To provide for projects and activities by public entities and by
nonprofit community entities, including religious organizations, designed to
test promising approaches to accomplishing the following objectives:
`(A) Promoting responsible, caring, and effective parenting through
counseling, mentoring, and parenting education, dissemination of
educational materials and information on parenting skills, encouragement
of positive father involvement, including the positive involvement of
nonresident fathers, and other methods.
`(B) Enhancing the abilities and commitment of unemployed or
low-income fathers to provide material support for their families and to
avoid or leave welfare programs by assisting them to take full advantage
of education, job training, and job search programs, to improve work
habits and work skills, to secure career advancement by activities such as
outreach and information dissemination, coordination, as appropriate, with
employment services and job training programs, including the One-Stop
delivery system established under title I of the Workforce Investment Act
of 1998, encouragement and support of timely payment of current child
support and regular payment toward past due child support obligations in
appropriate cases, and other methods.
`(C) Improving fathers' ability to effectively manage family business
affairs by means such as education, counseling, and mentoring in matters
including household management, budgeting, banking, and handling of
financial transactions, time management, and home maintenance.
`(D) Encouraging and supporting healthy marriages and married
fatherhood through such activities as premarital education, including the
use of premarital inventories, marriage preparation programs, skills-based
marriage education programs, marital therapy, couples counseling, divorce
education and reduction programs, divorce mediation and counseling,
relationship skills enhancement programs, including those designed to
reduce child abuse and domestic violence, and dissemination of information
about the benefits of marriage for both parents and children.
`(2) Through the projects and activities described in paragraph (1), to
improve outcomes for children with respect to measures such as increased
family income and economic security, improved school performance, better
health, improved emotional and behavioral stability and social adjustment,
and reduced risk of delinquency, crime, substance abuse, child abuse and
neglect, teen sexual activity, and teen suicide.
`(3) To evaluate the effectiveness of various approaches and to
disseminate findings concerning outcomes and other information in order to
encourage and facilitate the replication of effective approaches to
accomplishing these objectives.
`SEC. 442. DEFINITIONS.
`In this part, the terms `Indian tribe' and `tribal organization' have the
meanings given them in subsections (e) and (l), respectively, of section 4 of
the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act.
`SEC. 443. COMPETITIVE GRANTS FOR SERVICE PROJECTS.
`(a) In General- The Secretary may make grants for fiscal years 2006
through 2010 to public and nonprofit community entities, including religious
organizations, and to Indian tribes and tribal organizations, for
demonstration service projects and activities designed to test the
effectiveness of various approaches to accomplish the objectives specified in
section 441(b)(1).
`(b) Eligibility Criteria for Full Service Grants- In order to be eligible
for a grant under this section, except as specified in subsection (c), an
entity shall submit an application to the Secretary containing the
following:
`(1) PROJECT DESCRIPTION- A statement including--
`(A) a description of the project and how it will be carried out,
including the geographical area to be covered and the number and
characteristics of clients to be served, and how it will address each of
the 4 objectives specified in section 441(b)(1); and
`(B) a description of the methods to be used by the entity or its
contractor to assess the extent to which the project was successful in
accomplishing its specific objectives and the general objectives specified
in section 441(b)(1).
`(2) EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS- A demonstration of ability to carry
out the project, by means such as demonstration of experience in
successfully carrying out projects of similar design and scope, and such
other information as the Secretary may find necessary to demonstrate the
entity's capacity to carry out the project, including the entity's ability
to provide the non-Federal share of project resources.
`(3) ADDRESSING CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE- A
description of how the entity will assess for the presence of, and intervene
to resolve, domestic violence and child abuse and neglect, including how the
entity will coordinate with State and local child protective service and
domestic violence programs.
`(4) ADDRESSING CONCERNS RELATING TO SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND SEXUAL
ACTIVITY- A commitment to make available to each individual participating in
the project education about alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs, and about the
health risks associated with abusing such substances, and information about
diseases and conditions transmitted through substance abuse and sexual
contact, including HIV/AIDS, and to coordinate with providers of services
addressing such problems, as appropriate.
`(5) COORDINATION WITH SPECIFIED PROGRAMS- An undertaking to coordinate,
as appropriate, with State and local entities responsible for the programs
under parts A, B, and D of this title, including programs under title I of
the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (including the One-Stop delivery
system), and such other programs as the Secretary may require.
`(6) RECORDS, REPORTS, AND AUDITS- An agreement to maintain such
records, make such reports, and cooperate with such reviews or audits as the
Secretary may find necessary for purposes of oversight of project activities
and expenditures.
`(7) SELF-INITIATED EVALUATION- If the entity elects to contract for
independent evaluation of the project (part or all of the cost of which may
be paid for using grant funds), a commitment to submit to the Secretary a
copy of the evaluation report within 30 days after completion of the report
and not more than 1 year after completion of the project.
`(8) COOPERATION WITH SECRETARY'S OVERSIGHT AND EVALUATION- An agreement
to cooperate with the Secretary's evaluation of projects assisted under this
section, by means including random assignment of clients to service
recipient and control groups, if determined by the Secretary to be
appropriate, and affording the Secretary access to the project and to
project-related records and documents, staff, and clients.
`(c) Eligibility Criteria for Limited Purpose Grants- In order to be
eligible for a grant under this section in an amount under $25,000 per fiscal
year, an entity shall submit an application to the Secretary containing the
following:
`(1) PROJECT DESCRIPTION- A description of the project and how it will
be carried out, including the number and characteristics of clients to be
served, the proposed duration of the project, and how it will address at
least 1 of the 4 objectives specified in section 441(b)(1).
`(2) QUALIFICATIONS- Such information as the Secretary may require as to
the capacity of the entity to carry out the project, including any previous
experience with similar activities.
`(3) COORDINATION WITH RELATED PROGRAMS- As required by the Secretary in
appropriate cases, an undertaking to coordinate and cooperate with State and
local entities responsible for specific programs relating to the objectives
of the project including, as appropriate, jobs programs and programs serving
children and families.
`(4) RECORDS, REPORTS, AND AUDITS- An agreement to maintain such
records, make such reports, and cooperate with such reviews or audits as the
Secretary may find necessary for purposes of oversight of project activities
and expenditures.
`(5) COOPERATION WITH SECRETARY'S OVERSIGHT AND EVALUATION- An agreement
to cooperate with the Secretary's evaluation of projects assisted under this
section, by means including affording the Secretary access to the project
and to project-related records and documents, staff, and clients.
`(d) Considerations in Awarding Grants-
`(1) DIVERSITY OF PROJECTS- In awarding grants under this section, the
Secretary shall seek to achieve a balance among entities of differing sizes,
entities in differing geographic areas, entities in urban and in rural
areas, and entities employing differing methods of achieving the purposes of
this section, including working with the State agency responsible for the
administration of part D to help fathers satisfy child support arrearage
obligations.
`(2) PREFERENCE FOR PROJECTS SERVING LOW-INCOME FATHERS- In awarding
grants under this section, the Secretary may give preference to applications
for projects in which a majority of the clients to be served are low-income
fathers.
`(1) IN GENERAL- Grants for a project under this section for a fiscal
year shall be available for a share of the cost of such project in such
fiscal year equal to--
`(A) up to 80 percent (or up to 90 percent, if the entity demonstrates
to the Secretary's satisfaction circumstances limiting the entity's
ability to secure non-Federal resources) in the case of a project under
subsection (b); and
`(B) up to 100 percent, in the case of a project under subsection
(c).
`(2) NON-FEDERAL SHARE- The non-Federal share may be in cash or in kind.
In determining the amount of the non-Federal share, the Secretary may
attribute fair market value to goods, services, and facilities contributed
from non-Federal sources.
`SEC. 444. MULTICITY, MULTISTATE DEMONSTRATION PROJECTS.
`(a) In General- The Secretary may make grants under this section for
fiscal years 2006 through 2010 to eligible entities (as specified in
subsection (b)) for 2 multicity, multistate projects demonstrating approaches
to achieving the objectives specified in section 441(b)(1). One of the
projects shall test the use of married couples to deliver program services.
`(b) Eligible Entities- An entity eligible for a grant under this section
must be a national nonprofit fatherhood promotion organization that meets the
following requirements:
`(1) EXPERIENCE WITH FATHERHOOD PROGRAMS- The organization must have
substantial experience in designing and successfully conducting programs
that meet the purposes described in section 441.
`(2) EXPERIENCE WITH MULTICITY, MULTISTATE PROGRAMS AND GOVERNMENT
COORDINATION- The organization must have experience in simultaneously
conducting such programs in more than 1 major metropolitan area in more than
1 State and in coordinating such programs, where appropriate, with State and
local government agencies and private, nonprofit agencies (including
community-based and religious organizations), including State or local
agencies responsible for child support enforcement and workforce
development.
`(c) Application Requirements- In order to be eligible for a grant under
this section, an entity must submit to the Secretary an application that
includes the following:
`(A) ELIGIBLE ENTITY- A demonstration that the entity meets the
requirements of subsection (b).
`(B) OTHER- Such other information as the Secretary may find necessary
to demonstrate the entity's capacity to carry out the project, including
the entity's ability to provide the non-Federal share of project
resources.
`(2) PROJECT DESCRIPTION- A description of and commitments concerning
the project design, including the following:
`(A) IN GENERAL- A detailed description of the proposed project design
and how it will be carried out, which shall--
`(i) provide for the project to be conducted in at least 3 major
metropolitan areas;
`(ii) state how it will address each of the 4 objectives specified
in section 441(b)(1);
`(iii) demonstrate that there is a sufficient number of potential
clients to allow for the random selection of individuals to participate
in the project and for comparisons with appropriate control groups
composed of individuals who have not participated in such projects;
and
`(iv) demonstrate that the project is designed to direct a majority
of project resources to activities serving low-income fathers (but the
project need not make services available on a means-tested
basis).
`(B) OVERSIGHT, EVALUATION, AND ADJUSTMENT COMPONENT- An agreement
that the entity--
`(i) in consultation with the evaluator selected pursuant to section
445, and as required by the Secretary, will modify the project design,
initially and (if necessary) subsequently throughout the duration of the
project, in order to facilitate ongoing and final oversight and
evaluation of project operation and outcomes (by means including, to the
maximum extent feasible, random assignment of clients to service
recipient and control groups), and to provide for mid-course adjustments
in project design indicated by interim evaluations;
`(ii) will submit to the Secretary revised descriptions of the
project design as modified in accordance with clause (i);
and
`(iii) will cooperate fully with the Secretary's ongoing oversight
and ongoing and final evaluation of the project, by means including
affording the Secretary access to the project and to project-related
records and documents, staff, and clients.
`(3) ADDRESSING CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE- A
description of how the entity will assess for the presence of, and intervene
to resolve, domestic violence and child abuse and neglect, including how the
entity will coordinate with State and local child protective service and
domestic violence programs.
`(4) ADDRESSING CONCERNS RELATING TO SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND SEXUAL
ACTIVITY- A commitment to make available to each individual participating in
the project education about alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs, and about the
health risks associated with abusing such substances, and information about
diseases and conditions transmitted through substance abuse and sexual
contact, including HIV/AIDS, and to coordinate with providers of services
addressing such problems, as appropriate.
`(5) COORDINATION WITH SPECIFIED PROGRAMS- An undertaking to coordinate,
as appropriate, with State and local entities responsible for the programs
funded under parts A, B, and D of this title, programs under title I of the
Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (including the One-Stop delivery system),
and such other programs as the Secretary may require.
`(6) RECORDS, REPORTS, AND AUDITS- An agreement to maintain such
records, make such reports, and cooperate with such reviews or audits (in
addition to those required under the preceding provisions of paragraph (2))
as the Secretary may find necessary for purposes of oversight of project
activities and expenditures.
`(1) IN GENERAL- Grants for a project under this section for a fiscal
year shall be available for up to 80 percent of the cost of such project in
such fiscal year.
`(2) NON-FEDERAL SHARE- The non-Federal share may be in cash or in kind.
In determining the amount of the non-Federal share, the Secretary may
attribute fair market value to goods, services, and facilities contributed
from non-Federal sources.
`SEC. 445. EVALUATION.
`(a) In General- The Secretary, directly or by contract or cooperative
agreement, shall evaluate the effectiveness of service projects funded under
sections 443 and 444 from the standpoint of the purposes specified in section
441(b)(1).
`(b) Evaluation Methodology- Evaluations under this section shall--
`(1) include, to the maximum extent feasible, random assignment of
clients to service delivery and control groups and other appropriate
comparisons of groups of individuals receiving and not receiving
services;
`(2) describe and measure the effectiveness of the projects in achieving
their specific project goals; and
`(3) describe and assess, as appropriate, the impact of such projects on
marriage, parenting, domestic violence, child abuse and neglect, money
management, employment and earnings, payment of child support, and child
well-being, health, and education.
`(c) Evaluation Reports- The Secretary shall publish the following reports
on the results of the evaluation:
`(1) An implementation evaluation report covering the first 24 months of
the activities under this part to be completed by 36 months after initiation
of such activities.
`(2) A final report on the evaluation to be completed by September 30,
2013.
`SEC. 446. PROJECTS OF NATIONAL SIGNIFICANCE.
`The Secretary is authorized, by grant, contract, or cooperative
agreement, to carry out projects and activities of national significance
relating to fatherhood promotion, including--
`(1) COLLECTION AND DISSEMINATION OF INFORMATION- Assisting States,
communities, and private entities, including religious organizations, in
efforts to promote and support marriage and responsible fatherhood by
collecting, evaluating, developing, and making available (through the
Internet and by other means) to all interested parties information regarding
approaches to accomplishing the objectives specified in section
441(b)(1).
`(2) MEDIA CAMPAIGN- Developing, promoting, and distributing to
interested States, local governments, public agencies, and private nonprofit
organizations, including charitable and religious organizations, a media
campaign that promotes and encourages involved, committed, and responsible
fatherhood and married fatherhood.
`(3) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE- Providing technical assistance, including
consultation and training, to public and private entities, including
community organizations and faith-based organizations, in the implementation
of local fatherhood promotion programs.
`(4) RESEARCH- Conducting research related to the purposes of this
part.
`SEC. 447. NONDISCRIMINATION.
`The projects and activities assisted under this part shall be available
on the same basis to all fathers and expectant fathers able to benefit from
such projects and activities, including married and unmarried fathers and
custodial and noncustodial fathers, with particular attention to low-income
fathers, and to mothers and expectant mothers on the same basis as to
fathers.
`SEC. 448. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS; RESERVATION FOR CERTAIN
PURPOSE.
`(a) Authorization- There are authorized to be appropriated $20,000,000
for each of fiscal years 2006 through 2010 to carry out the provisions of this
part.
`(b) Reservation- Of the amount appropriated under this section for each
fiscal year, not more than 15 percent shall be available for the costs of the
multicity, multicounty, multistate demonstration projects under section 444,
evaluations under section 445, and projects of national significance under
section 446.'.
`(b) Inapplicability of Effective Date Provisions- Section 116 shall not
apply to the amendment made by subsection (a) of this section.'.
(2) CLERICAL AMENDMENT- Section 2 of such Act is amended in the table of
contents by inserting after the item relating to section 116 the following
new item:
`117. Fatherhood program.'.
SEC. 120. STATE OPTION TO MAKE TANF PROGRAMS MANDATORY PARTNERS WITH
ONE-STOP EMPLOYMENT TRAINING CENTERS.
Section 408 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 608) is amended by
adding at the end the following:
`(h) State Option to Make TANF Programs Mandatory Partners With One-Stop
Employment Training Centers- For purposes of section 121(b) of the Workforce
Investment Act of 1998, a State program funded under part A of title IV of the
Social Security Act shall be considered a program referred to in paragraph
(1)(B) of such section, unless, after the date of the enactment of this
subsection, the Governor of the State notifies the Secretaries of Health and
Human Services and Labor in writing of the decision of the Governor not to
make the State program a mandatory partner.'.
SEC. 121. SENSE OF THE CONGRESS.
It is the sense of the Congress that a State welfare-to-work program
should include a mentoring program.
SEC. 122. EXTENSION THROUGH FISCAL YEAR 2005.
(a) In General- Except as otherwise provided in this Act and the
amendments made by this Act, activities authorized by part A of title IV of
the Social Security Act, and by sections 429A, 1108(b), and 1130(a) of such
Act, shall continue through September 30, 2005, in the manner authorized for
fiscal year 2004, and out of any money in the Treasury of the United States
not otherwise appropriated, there are hereby appropriated such sums as may be
necessary for such purpose. Grants and payments may be made pursuant to this
authority through the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2005 at the level provided
for such activities through the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2004, except
that in the case of section 403(a)(4) of such Act, the level shall be
$100,000,000.
(b) Effective Date- Subsection (a) shall take effect on the date of the
enactment of this Act.
TITLE II--CHILD CARE
SEC. 201. SHORT TITLE.
This title may be cited as the `Caring for Children Act of 2005'.
SEC. 202. GOALS.
(a) Goals- Section 658A(b) of the Child Care and Development Block Grant
Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 9801 note) is amended--
(1) in paragraph (3) by striking `encourage' and inserting
`assist',
(2) by amending paragraph (4) to read as follows:
`(4) to assist States to provide child care to low-income
parents;',
(3) by redesignating paragraph (5) as paragraph (7), and
(4) by inserting after paragraph (4) the following:
`(5) to encourage States to improve the quality of child care available
to families;
`(6) to promote school readiness by encouraging the exposure of young
children in child care to nurturing environments and
developmentally-appropriate activities, including activities to foster early
cognitive and literacy development; and'.
(b) Conforming Amendment- Section 658E(c)(3)(B) of the Child Care and
Development Block Grant Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 9858c(c)(3)(B)) is amended by
striking `through (5)' and inserting `through (7)'.
SEC. 203. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
Section 658B of the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990 (42
U.S.C. 9858) is amended--
(1) by striking `is' and inserting `are', and
(2) by striking `$1,000,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 1996
through 2002' and inserting `$2,100,000,000 for fiscal year 2005,
$2,300,000,000 for fiscal year 2006, $2,500,000,000 for fiscal year 2007,
$2,700,000,000 for fiscal year 2008, $2,900,000,000 for fiscal year 2009,
and $3,100,000,000 for fiscal year 2010'.
SEC. 204. APPLICATION AND PLAN.
Section 658E(c)(2) of the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of
1990 (42 U.S.C. 9858C(c)(2)) is amended--
(1) by amending subparagraph (D) to read as follows:
`(D) CONSUMER AND CHILD CARE PROVIDER EDUCATION INFORMATION- Certify
that the State will collect and disseminate, through resource and referral
services and other means as determined by the State, to parents of
eligible children, child care providers, and the general public,
information regarding--
`(i) the promotion of informed child care choices, including
information about the quality and availability of child care
services;
`(ii) research and best practices on children's development,
including early cognitive development;
`(iii) the availability of assistance to obtain child care services;
and
`(iv) other programs for which families that receive child care
services for which financial assistance is provided under this
subchapter may be eligible, including the food stamp program, the WIC
program under section 17 of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966, the child
and adult care food program under section 17 of the Richard B. Russell
National School Lunch Act, and the medicaid and SCHIP programs under
titles XIX and XXI of the Social Security Act.', and
(2) by inserting after subparagraph (H) the following:
`(I) COORDINATION WITH OTHER EARLY CHILD CARE SERVICES AND EARLY
CHILDHOOD EDUCATION PROGRAMS- Demonstrate how the State is coordinating
child care services provided under this subchapter with Head Start, Early
Reading First, Even Start, Ready-To-Learn Television, State
pre-kindergarten programs, and other early childhood education programs to
expand accessibility to and continuity of care and early education without
displacing services provided by the current early care and education
delivery system.
`(J) PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS- Demonstrate how the State encourages
partnerships with private and other public entities to leverage existing
service delivery systems of early childhood education and increase the
supply and quality of child care services.
`(K) CHILD CARE SERVICE QUALITY-
`(i) CERTIFICATION- For each fiscal year after fiscal year 2006,
certify that during the then preceding fiscal year the State was in
compliance with section 658G and describe how funds were used to comply
with such section during such preceding fiscal year.
`(ii) STRATEGY- For each fiscal year after fiscal year 2006, contain
an outline of the strategy the State will implement during such fiscal
year for which the State plan is submitted, to address the quality of
child care services in the State available to low-income parents from
eligible child care providers, and include in such
strategy--
`(I) a statement specifying how the State will address the
activities described in paragraphs (1), (2), and (3) of section
658G;
`(II) a description of quantifiable, objective measures for
evaluating the quality of child care services separately with respect
to the activities listed in each of such paragraphs that the State
will use to evaluate its progress in improving the quality of such
child care services;
`(III) a list of State-developed child care service quality
targets for such fiscal year quantified on the basis of such measures;
and
`(IV) for each fiscal year after fiscal year 2006, a report on the
progress made to achieve such targets during the then preceding fiscal
year.
`(iii) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION- Nothing in this subparagraph shall be
construed to require that the State apply measures for evaluating
quality to specific types of child care providers.
`(L) ACCESS TO CARE FOR CERTAIN POPULATIONS- Demonstrate how the State
is addressing the child care needs of parents eligible for child care
services for which financial assistance is provided under this subchapter
who have children with special needs, work nontraditional hours, or
require child care services for infants or toddlers.'.
SEC. 205. ACTIVITIES TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF CHILD CARE.
Section 658G of the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990 (42
U.S.C. 9858e) is amended to read as follows:
`SEC. 658G. ACTIVITIES TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF CHILD CARE SERVICES.
`A State that receives funds to carry out this subchapter for a fiscal
year, shall use not less than 6 percent of the amount of such funds for
activities provided through resource and referral services or other means,
that are designed to improve the quality of child care services in the State
available to low-income parents from eligible child care providers. Such
activities include--
`(1) programs that provide training, education, and other professional
development activities to enhance the skills of the child care workforce,
including training opportunities for caregivers in informal care
settings;
`(2) activities within child care settings to enhance early learning for
young children, to promote early literacy, and to foster school
readiness;
`(3) initiatives to increase the retention and compensation of child
care providers, including tiered reimbursement rates for providers that meet
quality standards as defined by the State; or
`(4) other activities deemed by the State to improve the quality of
child care services provided in such State.'.
SEC. 206. REPORT BY SECRETARY.
Section 658L of the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990 (42
U.S.C. 9858j) is amended to read as follows:
`SEC. 658L. REPORT BY SECRETARY.
`(a) Report Required- Not later than October 1, 2007, and biennially
thereafter, the Secretary shall prepare and submit to the Committee on
Education and the Workforce of the House of Representatives and the Committee
on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions of the Senate a report that contains
the following:
`(1) A summary and analysis of the data and information provided to the
Secretary in the State reports submitted under section 658K.
`(2) Aggregated statistics on the supply of, demand for, and quality of
child care, early education, and non-school-hours programs.
`(3) An assessment, and where appropriate, recommendations for the
Congress concerning efforts that should be undertaken to improve the access
of the public to quality and affordable child care in the United
States.
`(b) Collection of Information- The Secretary may utilize the national
child care data system available through resource and referral organizations
at the local, State, and national level to collect the information required by
subsection (a)(2).'
SEC. 207. DEFINITIONS.
Section 658P(4)(B) of the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of
1990 (42 U.S.C. 9858N(4)(B)) is amended by striking `85 percent of the State
median income' and inserting `income levels as established by the State,
prioritized by need,'.
SEC. 208. ENTITLEMENT FUNDING.
Section 418(a)(3) (42 U.S.C. 618(a)(3)) is amended--
(1) by striking `and' at the end of subparagraph (E);
(2) by striking the period at the end of subparagraph (F) and inserting
`; and'; and
(3) by adding at the end the following:
`(G) $2,917,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2006 through
2010.'.
TITLE III--CHILD SUPPORT
SEC. 301. FEDERAL MATCHING FUNDS FOR LIMITED PASS THROUGH OF CHILD SUPPORT
PAYMENTS TO FAMILIES RECEIVING TANF.
(a) In General- Section 457(a) (42 U.S.C. 657(a)) is amended--
(1) in paragraph (1)(A), by inserting `subject to paragraph (7)' before
the semicolon; and
(2) by adding at the end the following:
`(7) FEDERAL MATCHING FUNDS FOR LIMITED PASS THROUGH OF CHILD SUPPORT
PAYMENTS TO FAMILIES RECEIVING TANF- Notwithstanding paragraph (1), a State
shall not be required to pay to the Federal Government the Federal share of
an amount collected during a month on behalf of a family that is a recipient
of assistance under the State program funded under part A, to the extent
that--
`(A) the State distributes the amount to the family;
`(B) the total of the amounts so distributed to the family during the
month--
`(i) exceeds the amount (if any) that, as of December 31, 2001, was
required under State law to be distributed to a family under paragraph
(1)(B); and
`(ii) does not exceed the greater of--
`(II) $50 plus the amount described in clause (i);
and
`(C) the amount is disregarded in determining the amount and type of
assistance provided to the family under the State program funded under
part A.'.
(b) Applicability- The amendments made by subsection (a) shall apply to
amounts distributed on or after October 1, 2007.
SEC. 302. STATE OPTION TO PASS THROUGH ALL CHILD SUPPORT PAYMENTS TO
FAMILIES THAT FORMERLY RECEIVED TANF.
(a) In General- Section 457(a) (42 U.S.C. 657(a)), as amended by section
301(a) of this Act, is amended--
(1) in paragraph (2)(B), in the matter preceding clause (i), by
inserting `, except as provided in paragraph (8),' after `shall'; and
(2) by adding at the end the following:
`(8) STATE OPTION TO PASS THROUGH ALL CHILD SUPPORT PAYMENTS TO FAMILIES
THAT FORMERLY RECEIVED TANF- In lieu of applying paragraph (2) to any family
described in paragraph (2), a State may distribute to the family any amount
collected during a month on behalf of the family.'.
(b) Applicability- The amendments made by subsection (a) shall apply to
amounts distributed on or after October 1, 2007.
SEC. 303. MANDATORY REVIEW AND ADJUSTMENT OF CHILD SUPPORT ORDERS FOR
FAMILIES RECEIVING TANF.
(a) In General- Section 466(a)(10)(A)(i) (42 U.S.C. 666(a)(10)(A)(i)) is
amended--
(1) by striking `parent, or,' and inserting `parent or'; and
(2) by striking `upon the request of the State agency under the State
plan or of either parent,'.
(b) Effective Date- The amendments made by subsection (a) shall take
effect on October 1, 2007.
SEC. 304. MANDATORY FEE FOR SUCCESSFUL CHILD SUPPORT COLLECTION FOR FAMILY
THAT HAS NEVER RECEIVED TANF.
(a) In General- Section 454(6)(B) (42 U.S.C. 654(6)(B)) is amended--
(1) by inserting `(i)' after `(B)';
(2) by redesignating clauses (i) and (ii) as subclauses (I) and (II),
respectively;
(3) by adding `and' after the semicolon; and
(4) by adding after and below the end the following new clause:
`(ii) in the case of an individual who has never received assistance
under a State program funded under part A and for whom the State has
collected at least $500 of support, the State shall impose an annual fee
of $25 for each case in which services are furnished, which shall be
retained by the State from support collected on behalf of the individual
(but not from the 1st $500 so collected), paid by the individual applying
for the services, recovered from the absent parent, or paid by the State
out of its own funds (the payment of which from State funds shall not be
considered as an administrative cost of the State for the operation of the
plan, and such fees shall be considered income to the program);'.
(b) Conforming Amendment- Section 457(a)(3) (42 U.S.C. 657(a)(3)) is
amended to read as follows:
`(3) FAMILIES THAT NEVER RECEIVED ASSISTANCE- In the case of any other
family, the State shall distribute to the family the portion of the amount
so collected that remains after withholding any fee pursuant to section
454(6)(B)(ii).'.
(c) Effective Date- The amendments made by this section shall take effect
on October 1, 2006.
SEC. 305. REPORT ON UNDISTRIBUTED CHILD SUPPORT PAYMENTS.
Not later than 6 months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the
Secretary of Health and Human Services shall submit to the Committee on Ways
and Means of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Finance of the
Senate a report on the procedures that the States use generally to locate
custodial parents for whom child support has been collected but not yet
distributed. The report shall include an estimate of the total amount of
undistributed child support and the average length of time it takes
undistributed child support to be distributed. To the extent the Secretary
deems appropriate, the Secretary shall include in the report recommendations
as to whether additional procedures should be established at the State or
Federal level to expedite the payment of undistributed child support.
SEC. 306. DECREASE IN AMOUNT OF CHILD SUPPORT ARREARAGE TRIGGERING PASSPORT
DENIAL.
(a) In General- Section 452(k)(1) (42 U.S.C. 652(k)(1)) is amended by
striking `$5,000' and inserting `$2,500'.
(b) Conforming Amendment- Section 454(31) (42 U.S.C. 654(31)) is amended
by striking `$5,000' and inserting `$2,500'.
(c) Effective Date- The amendments made by this section shall take effect
on October 1, 2006.
SEC. 307. USE OF TAX REFUND INTERCEPT PROGRAM TO COLLECT PAST-DUE CHILD
SUPPORT ON BEH