To restore families, promote work, protect endangered children, increase personal responsibility, attack welfare dependency, reduce welfare fraud, and improve child support collections.
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
Title I: Block Grants for Temporary Assistance for Needy
Families
Title II: Child Protection Block Grant Program
Title III: Restricting Welfare for Aliens
Title IV: Supplemental Security Income
Title V: Child Support
Subtitle A: Case Registries, Eligibility for Services,
and Distribution of Payments
Subtitle B: Locate and Case Tracking
Subtitle C: Streamlining and Uniformity of Procedures
Subtitle D: Paternity Establishment
Subtitle E: Program Administration and Funding
Subtitle F: Establishment and Modification of Support
Orders
Subtitle G: Enforcement of Support Orders
Subtitle H: Medical Support
Subtitle I: Enhancing Responsibility and Opportunity
for Nonresidential Parents
Subtitle J: Effect of Enactment
Welfare Transformation Act of 1995 - Title I: Block Grants For Temporary Assistance For Needy Families - Amends part A (Aid to Families with Dependent Children) (AFDC) of title IV of the Social Security Act (SSA) to convert the current AFDC program into a block grant program with specified work, job search, and education and training requirements designed to increase State flexibility in providing time-limited assistance and support services (including birth control and child care services) to needy families to enable them to leave the program and become self-sufficient.
(Sec. 101) Prohibits such assistance, generally, to: (1) certain aliens; (2) families without a minor child; (3) families not cooperating in paternity establishment; (4) children born out-of-wedlock to a minor parent (or the parent until such parent turns age 18); (5) families not assigning support rights to the State; (6) minor children born to benefit recipients; and (7) a person convicted of fraudulently misrepresenting residence in order to receive welfare benefits. Withholds a portion of assistance for families which include a child whose paternity is not established.
Provides that in order to be eligible for block grants under such program a State must submit to the Secretary of Health and Human Services a plan that includes: (1) an outline of the assistance the State intends on providing to needy families with children; and (2) certifications that the State will operate revised SSA title IV part B (Child-Welfare Services) and D (Child Support and Establishment of Paternity) programs in accordance with this Act.
Allows States to use grants for: (1) providing low-income household heating and cooling assistance; (2) implementing an electronic benefit transfer system for providing assistance to needy families with children; and (3) carrying out a State program pursuant to specified provisions of Federal law, including the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990.
Gives States the authority to treat families moving interstate under the former State program rules if they reside in their new State of residence for less than 12 months. Increases the amount of such grants for States which have reduced their out-of-wedlock births.
Sets out penalties for violations of grant uses and mandatory work requirements. Establishes in the Treasury a revolving loan fund known as the Federal Rainy Day Fund for making loans to, and receiving payments of principal and interest on such loans from, qualified States under the new State block grant program.
Expresses the sense of the Congress that the States should require noncustodial, nonsupporting parents who have not attained 18 years of age to fulfill community work obligations and attend appropriate parenting or money management classes after school.
Directs the Secretary to: (1) research the costs and benefits of State activities under this title; (2) evaluate innovative approaches to employing program recipients; (3) rank States in order of their success under the grant program; and (4) review the most and least successful State work programs.
Sets forth requirements for: (1) State data collection and reporting; and (2) a Census Bureau study obtaining information for evaluating the impact of this title on a random national sample of recipients of assistance under State block grant programs. Appropriates funds for the latter.
Directs the Secretary to develop innovative methods of disseminating information on any research, evaluations, and studies conducted under this title.
(Sec. 102) Directs the Secretary to report to the Congress on automated data processing systems under State block grant programs and the modifications necessary for tracking public program participants and checking case records to prohibit participants from participating in public programs of two or more States.
(Sec. 106) Provides for the continued application of current AFDC standards under the Medicaid program under SSA title XIX.
Title II: Child Protection Block Grant Program - Revises SSA title IV part B's Child-Welfare Services program, converting it also into a program of block grants to the States, in this case, for the protection of children in accordance with specified standards.
(Sec. 201) Sets forth requirements, similar to those in title I, pertaining to: (1) State eligibility plans with appropriate certifications; (2) grant uses; (3) penalties; (4) data collection and reporting; (5) research; (6) a national random sample study; and (7) continued application of current standards under the Medicaid program.
Adds requirements for: (1) citizen review panels for examining specific cases to ensure that State and local agencies are doing their job properly to protect children; (2) a clearinghouse and telephone hotline on missing and runaway children; (3) decreasing the time children wait for adoption; and (4) preventing discrimination in multiethnic placements of children. Authorizes appropriations.
Title III: Restricting Welfare for Aliens - Declares that it is a compelling government interest to enact new rules for eligibility and sponsorship agreements in order to assure that aliens be self-reliant in accordance with national immigration policy.
(Sec. 302) Places restrictions on the types of Federal welfare assistance that certain aliens may receive.
(Sec. 303) Makes illegal aliens ineligible for any State or local means-tested public assistance, with certain exceptions for emergency medical services, immunizations, and treatment of communicable diseases.
(Sec. 304) Authorizes States to determine eligibility requirements for aliens who are lawfully present in the United States not as a result of any refugee, aged, or veteran exceptions for any State means-tested public assistance program, with the same medical care exceptions.
(Sec. 305) Provides that in determining the eligibility and the amount of benefits of any alien for any means-tested public assistance program, the income and resources of the alien shall be deemed to include: (1) the income and resources of any person who executed an affidavit of support on the alien's behalf; and (2) the income and resources of the person's spouse (if any). Applies such requirement with respect to an alien until such time as the alien achieves U.S. citizenship through naturalization.
(Sec. 306) Sets forth requirements for sponsor's affidavit of support.
(Sec. 308) Requires each agency that administers the State block grant program under SSA title IV part A to provide the Immigration and Naturalization Service with any identification it has of any illegal alien with a child who is a U.S. citizen or national.
Title IV: Supplemental Security Income - Amends SSA title XVI (Supplemental Security Income) (SSI) to: (1) deny SSI by reason of disability to drug addicts and alcoholics; (2) place restrictions on eligibility for cash benefits for disabled children; (3) establish a program of block grants to States for children with disabilities; and (4) repeal the maintenance of effort requirements applicable to optional State programs for supplementation of SSI benefits.
Provides funding to the Director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse for the: (1) Federal Capacity Expansion Program to expand the availability of drug treatment; and (2) medication development project to improve drug abuse and treatment research.
(Sec. 403) Amends the Social Security Independence and Program Improvements Act of 1994 to provide for the examination of certain mental disorder listings in determining the eligibility of children for SSI benefits by reason of disability.
(Sec. 404) Amends SSA title XI to limit the total amount payable under SSA titles I (Old Age Assistance), X (Aid to the Blind), XIV (Aid to the Permanently and Totally Disabled), and XVI (SSI) to Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and Guam.
(Sec. 405) Repeals maintenance of effort requirements applicable to optional State programs for supplementation of SSI benefits.
Title V: Child Support - Subtitle A: Case Registries, Eligibility for Services, and Distribution of Payments - Revises SSA title IV part D's child support and paternity establishment program to make various specified changes with regard to: (1) case registries; (2) State obligation to provide child support enforcement services; (3) distribution of child support collections; and (4) privacy safeguards.
Subtitle B: Locate and Case Tracking - Modifies such program further to make various additional specified changes with regard to: (1) automated State case registries and new hire directories for tracking cases, exchanging and comparing information, handling locate requests, and other specified matters; (2) collection and disbursement of support payments through State disbursement units; (3) income withholding; (4) locate information from interstate networks and the Federal Parent Locator Service (FPLS); (5) reimbursement for information from Federal agencies and for reports by State agencies; (6) an expanded FPLS containing the automated Federal Case Registry of Child Support Orders and the National Directory of New Hires; and (7) collection and use of social security numbers for use in child support enforcement.
Subtitle C: Streamlining and Uniformity of Procedures - Requires each State to have in effect the Uniform Interstate Family Support Act, as approved by the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws in August 1992, and modified by this Act, and the procedures required to implement such Act. Requires such law to be applied to any case involving an order which is established or modified in a State and which is sought to be modified or enforced in another State.
(Sec. 522) Amends the Federal judicial code to modify provisions concerning the full faith and credit for child support orders.
(Sec. 523) Requires each State to have in effect laws: (1) requiring the use of procedures for administrative enforcement in interstate cases; and (2) providing expedited procedures for establishing paternity and for establishing, modifying, and enforcing support obligations using automated means.
Subtitle D: Paternity Establishment - Modifies State law procedures for paternity establishment, among other changes, providing for voluntary paternity acknowledgment.
(Sec. 532) Provides for outreach for voluntary paternity establishment.
(Sec. 533) Requires a State plan for child and spousal support to provide for the cooperation by applicants for and recipients of temporary family assistance in establishing the paternity of, and in establishing, modifying, or enforcing a support order for, any child of the individual.
Subtitle E: Program Administration and Funding - Makes various specified changes to State payment provisions, including incentive payment requirements (with reduction adjustments for State failure to meet the paternity establishment percentage). Revises State plan and other provisions with respect to, among other items, Federal and State reviews and audits and State procedures for collecting and reporting information required by SSA title IV part D.
(Sec. 545) Revises automated data processing requirements, requiring State agencies to have a single statewide automated data processing and information retrieval system capable of performing specified tasks relating to the management of the State's SSA title IV part D program.
(Sec. 546) Provides funding for technical assistance to States for improving their SSA title IV part D programs and for operation of the FPLS.
(Sec. 547) Makes changes with regard to annual congressional reports and data collection by the Secretary.
Subtitle F: Establishment and Modification of Support Orders - Revises the process for the review and adjustment of child support orders.
Subtitle G: Enforcement of Support Orders - Amends the Internal Revenue Code and SSA title IV part D with regard to enforcement of child support orders, among other changes: (1) providing for changed order of refund distribution; (2) eliminating the disparities in treatment of assigned and non-assigned arrearages; (3) consolidating and revising authorities for collecting support from Federal employees; (4) providing for laws voiding fraudulent transfers; (5) providing for procedures to ensure that persons owing past-due support work or have a plan for payment of such support and (6) defining the term "support order."
(Sec. 563) Provides for enforcement of child support obligations of members of the armed forces.
(Sec. 565) Expresses the sense of the Congress that each State should suspend any driver's license, business license, or occupational license issued to any person who owes past-due child support.
Subtitle H: Medical Support - Amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 to make a technical correction to the definition of medical child support order under that Act.
Subtitle I: Enhancing Responsibility and Opportunity for Nonresidential Parents - Amends SSA title IV part D to require the Administration for Children and Families to make grants to enable States to establish and administer programs to support and facilitate absent parent' access to and visitation of their children.
Subtitle J: Effect of Enactment - Sets forth the effective dates of this Act.
On motion to refer the bill and the accompanying veto message to the Committee on Ways and Means. Agreed to without objection.
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
Ordered to be Reported by the Yeas and Nays: 22 - 11.
Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committees on Economic and Educational Opportunities, Commerce, the Judiciary, National Security, and Government Reform and Oversight, 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.
Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committees on Economic and Educational Opportunities, Commerce, the Judiciary, National Security, and Government Reform and Oversight, 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.
Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committees on Economic and Educational Opportunities, Commerce, the Judiciary, National Security, and Government Reform and Oversight, 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.
Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committees on Economic and Educational Opportunities, Commerce, the Judiciary, National Security, and Government Reform and Oversight, 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.
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Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committees on Economic and Educational Opportunities, Commerce, the Judiciary, National Security, and Government Reform and Oversight, 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.
Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committees on Economic and Educational Opportunities, Commerce, the Judiciary, National Security, and Government Reform and Oversight, 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.
Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committees on Economic and Educational Opportunities, Commerce, the Judiciary, National Security, and Government Reform and Oversight, 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.
For Further Action See H.R.4.
Referred to the Subcommittee on National Security, International Affairs and Criminal Justice.
Executive Comment Requested from DOD.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.
Reported by the Committee on Ways and Means. H. Rept. 104-81, Part I.
Reported by the Committee on Ways and Means. H. Rept. 104-81, Part I.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Energy and Power.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health and Environment.
See H.R.4.