Education Works Act of 2002

Education Works Act of 2002 - Amends part A (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) (TANF) of title IV of the Social Security Act to: (1) expand the vocational educational training work activity category, removing the time limitation on such training, and adding participation in postsecondary education, an English-as-a-second-language program, or an adult basic education program; (2) eliminate the limit on the number of TANF recipients enrolled in vocational education or high school who may be counted towards the State work participation requirement; and (3) provide for nonapplication of the five year limit on TANF assistance to individuals who receive child care or transportation benefits under the State TANF program and participate in a full-time educational program or are employed.

[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2548 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







107th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 2548

To amend the temporary assistance to needy families program under part 
 A of title IV of the Social Security Act to improve the provision of 
 education and job training under that program, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                              May 22, 2002

 Mr. Bingaman (for himself and Mr. Wellstone) introduced the following 
  bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To amend the temporary assistance to needy families program under part 
 A of title IV of the Social Security Act to improve the provision of 
 education and job training under that program, 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 ``Education Works Act of 2002''.

SEC. 2. COUNTING EDUCATION AND TRAINING AS WORK.

    Section 407(d)(8) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 607(d)(8)) 
is amended to read as follows:
            ``(8) participation in vocational educational training, 
        postsecondary education, an English-as-a-second-language 
        program, or an adult basic education program;''.

SEC. 3. ELIMINATION OF LIMIT ON NUMBER OF TANF RECIPIENTS ENROLLED IN 
              VOCATIONAL EDUCATION OR HIGH SCHOOL WHO MAY BE COUNTED 
              TOWARDS THE WORK PARTICIPATION REQUIREMENT.

    Section 407(c)(2) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 607(c)(2)) 
is amended by striking subparagraph (D).

SEC. 4. NONAPPLICATION OF TIME LIMIT TO INDIVIDUALS WHO DO NOT RECEIVE 
              CASH ASSISTANCE AND ARE ENGAGED IN EDUCATION OR 
              EMPLOYMENT.

    Section 408(a)(7) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 608(a)(7)) 
is amended by adding at the end the following:
                    ``(H) Limitation on meaning of `assistance' for 
                certain individuals.--For purposes of this paragraph, 
                child care or transportation benefits provided during a 
                month under the State program funded under this part to 
                an individual who is participating in a full-time 
                educational program or who is employed shall not be 
                considered assistance under the State program.''.

SEC. 5. EFFECTIVE DATE.

    (a) In General.--Except as otherwise provided in this Act, the 
amendments made by this Act shall take effect on October 1, 2002, and 
shall apply to payments made under part A of title IV of the Social 
Security Act for calendar quarters beginning on or after such date, 
without regard to whether regulations to implement the amendments are 
promulgated by such date.
    (b) Delay Permitted if State Legislation Required.--In the case of 
a State plan under section 402(a) of the Social Security Act which the 
Secretary of Health and Human Services determines requires State 
legislation (other than legislation appropriating funds) in order for 
the plan to meet the additional requirements imposed by the amendments 
made by this Act, the State plan shall not be regarded as failing to 
comply with the requirements of such section 402(a) solely on the basis 
of the failure of the plan to meet such additional requirements before 
the 1st day of the 1st calendar quarter beginning after the close of 
the 1st regular session of the State legislature that begins after the 
date of enactment of this Act. For purposes of the previous sentence, 
in the case of a State that has a 2-year legislative session, each year 
of such session shall be deemed to be a separate regular session of the 
State legislature.
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