42 USC 1314a - Measurement and reporting of welfare receipt

U.S Code last checked for updates: Nov 22, 2024

§ 1314a.

Measurement and reporting of welfare receipt

(a)

Congressional policy

The Congress hereby declares that—

(1)

it is the policy and responsibility of the Federal Government to reduce the rate at which and the degree to which families depend on income from welfare programs and the duration of welfare receipt, consistent with other essential national goals;

(2)

it is the policy of the United States to strengthen families, to ensure that children grow up in families that are economically self-sufficient and that the life prospects of children are improved, and to underscore the responsibility of parents to support their children;

(3)

the Federal Government should help welfare recipients as well as individuals at risk of welfare receipt to improve their education and job skills, to obtain child care and other necessary support services, and to take such other steps as may be necessary to assist them to become financially independent; and

(4)

it is the purpose of this section to provide the public with generally accepted measures of welfare receipt so that it can track such receipt over time and determine whether progress is being made in reducing the rate at which and, to the extent feasible, the degree to which, families depend on income from welfare programs and the duration of welfare receipt.

(b)

Development of welfare indicators and predictors

The Secretary of Health and Human Services (in this section referred to as the “Secretary”) in consultation with the Secretary of Agriculture shall—

(1)

develop—

(A)

indicators of the rate at which and, to the extent feasible, the degree to which, families depend on income from welfare programs and the duration of welfare receipt; and

(B)

predictors of welfare receipt;

(2)

assess the data needed to report annually on the indicators and predictors, including the ability of existing data collection efforts to provide such data and any additional data collection needs; and

(3)

not later than 2 years after October 31, 1994, provide an interim report containing conclusions resulting from the development and assessment described in paragraphs (1) and (2), to—

(A)

the Committee on Ways and Means of the House of Representatives;

(B)

the Committee on Education and Labor of the House of Representatives;

(C)

the Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives;

(D)

the Committee on Commerce of the House of Representatives;

(E)

the Committee on Finance of the Senate;

(F)

the Committee on Labor and Human Resources of the Senate; and

(G)

the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate.

(c)

Advisory Board on Welfare Indicators

(1)

Establishment

(2)

Composition

(3)

Vacancies

(4)

Duties

Duties of the Board shall include—

(A)

providing advice and recommendations to the Secretary on the development of indicators of the rate at which and, to the extent feasible, the degree to which, families depend on income from welfare programs and the duration of welfare receipt; and

(B)

providing advice on the development and presentation of annual reports required under subsection (d).

(5)

Travel expenses

(6)

Detail of Federal employees

(7)

Voluntary service

(8)

Termination of Board

(d)

Annual welfare indicators report

(1)

Preparation

(2)

Coverage

(3)

Contents

Each report shall set forth for each of the means-tested benefit programs described in paragraph (2)—

(A)

indicators of—

(i)

the rate at which and, to the extent feasible, the degree to which, families depend on income from welfare programs, and

(ii)

the duration of welfare receipt;

(B)

trends in indicators;

(C)

predictors of welfare receipt;

(D)

the causes of welfare receipt;

(E)

patterns of multiple program receipt;

(F)

such other information as the Secretary deems relevant; and

(G)

such recommendations for legislation, which shall not include proposals to reduce eligibility levels or impose barriers to program access, as the Secretary may determine to be necessary or desirable to reduce—

(i)

the rate at which and the degree to which families depend on income from welfare programs, and

(ii)

the duration of welfare receipt.

(4)

Submission

(e)

Short title

(Pub. L. 103–432, title II, § 232, Oct. 31, 1994, 108 Stat. 4462; Pub. L. 105–200, title IV, § 410(h), July 16, 1998, 112 Stat. 674; Pub. L. 110–234, title IV, § 4002(b)(1)(A), (B), (2)(X), May 22, 2008, 122 Stat. 1095–1097; Pub. L. 110–246, § 4(a), title IV, § 4002(b)(1)(A), (B), (2)(X), June 18, 2008, 122 Stat. 1664, 1857, 1859.)

cite as: 42 USC 1314a