Helping Americans Succeed by Measuring Outcomes Act
This bill establishes certain performance measures for states receiving Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program grants. It also requires states to specify how they will allow for transitional periods of benefits for recipients who become ineligible for TANF benefits due to employment or an increase in wages.
[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4535 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
117th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 4535
To amend title IV-A of the Social Security Act, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
July 19, 2021
Mr. Reed (for himself, Mr. Hern, and Mrs. Walorski) introduced the
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means,
and in addition to the Committee on Education and Labor, 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 amend title IV-A of the Social Security Act, 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 ``Helping Americans Succeed by
Measuring Outcomes Act''.
SEC. 2. PROMOTING ACCOUNTABILITY BY MEASURING WORK OUTCOMES.
(a) In General.--Section 407 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C.
607), as amended by subsection (c) of this section, is amended by
inserting before subsection (b) the following:
``(a) Performance Accountability and Work Outcomes.--
``(1) Purpose.--The purpose of this subsection is to
provide for the establishment of performance accountability
measures to assess the effectiveness of States in increasing
employment, retention, and advancement among families receiving
assistance under the State program funded under this part or
any other State program funded with qualified State
expenditures.
``(2) In general.--A State to which a grant is made under
section 403 for a fiscal year shall achieve the requisite level
of performance on an indicator described in paragraph (3)(B) of
this subsection for the fiscal year.
``(3) Measuring state performance.--
``(A) In general.--Each State, in consultation with
the Secretary, shall collect and submit to the
Secretary the information necessary to measure the
level of performance of the State for each indicator
described in subparagraph (B), for fiscal year 2023 and
each fiscal year thereafter, and the Secretary shall
use the information collected for fiscal year 2023 to
establish the baseline level of performance for each
State for each such indicator.
``(B) Indicators of performance.--The indicators
described in this subparagraph, for a fiscal year, are
the following:
``(i) The percentage of individuals who
were work-eligible individuals as of the time
of exit from the program, who are in
unsubsidized employment during the 2nd quarter
after the exit.
``(ii) The percentage of individuals who
were work-eligible individuals as of the time
of exit from the program, who are in
unsubsidized employment during the 2nd and 4th
quarters after the exit.
``(iii) The median earnings of individuals
who were work-eligible individuals as of the
time of exit from the program, who are in
unsubsidized employment during the 2nd quarter
after the exit.
``(iv) The percentage of individuals who
have not attained 24 years of age, are
attending high school or enrolled in an
equivalency program, and are work-eligible
individuals or were work-eligible individuals
as of the time of exit from the program, who
obtain a high school degree or its recognized
equivalent while receiving assistance under the
State program funded under this part or within
1 year after the exit.
``(C) Levels of performance.--
``(i) In general.--For each State
submitting a State plan pursuant to section
402(a), there shall be established, in
accordance with this subparagraph, levels of
performance for each of the indicators
described in subparagraph (B) of this
paragraph.
``(ii) Weight.--The weight assigned to such
an indicator shall be the following:
``(I) 40 percent, in the case of
the indicator described in subparagraph
(B)(i).
``(II) 25 percent, in the case of
the indicator described in subparagraph
(B)(ii)(II).
``(III) 25 percent, in the case of
the indicator described in subparagraph
(B)(iii).
``(IV) 10 percent, in the case of
the indicator described in subparagraph
(B)(iv).
``(iii) Agreement on requisite performance
level for each indicator.--
``(I) In general.--The Secretary
and the State shall jointly establish
the requisite level of performance for
the State with respect to each
indicator described in clause (ii)
beginning with fiscal year 2024, and
shall do so before the beginning of the
fiscal year involved.
``(II) Requirements in establishing
performance levels.--In establishing
the requisite levels of performance,
the State and the Secretary shall--
``(aa) take into account
how levels involved compare
with the levels established for
other States;
``(bb) ensure the levels
involved are adjusted, using
the objective statistical model
referred to in clause (v),
based on--
``(AA) the
differences among
States in economic
conditions, including
differences in
unemployment rates or
employment losses or
gains in particular
industries; and
``(BB) the
characteristics of
participants on entry
into the program,
including indicators of
prior work history,
lack of educational or
occupational skills
attainment, or other
factors that may affect
employment and
earnings; and
``(cc) take into account
the extent to which the levels
involved promote continuous
improvement in performance by
each State.
``(iv) Revisions based on economic
conditions and individuals receiving assistance
during the fiscal year.--The Secretary shall,
in accordance with the objective statistical
model referred to in clause (v), revise the
requisite levels of performance for a State and
a fiscal year to reflect the economic
conditions and characteristics of the relevant
individuals in the State during the fiscal
year.
``(v) Statistical adjustment model.--The
Secretary shall use an objective statistical
model to make adjustments to the requisite
levels of performance for the economic
conditions and characteristics of the relevant
individuals, and shall consult with the
Secretary of Labor to develop a model that is
the same as or similar to the model described
in section 116(b)(3)(A)(viii) of the Workforce
Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C.
3141(b)(3)(A)(viii)).
``(vi) Definition of exit.--In this
subsection, the term `exit' means, with respect
to a State program funded under this part,
ceases to receive assistance under the program.
``(D) Regulations.--In order to ensure nationwide
comparability of data, the Secretary, after
consultation with the Secretary of Labor and with
States, shall issue regulations governing the
establishment of the performance accountability system
under this subsection and a template for performance
reports to be used by all States.''.
SEC. 3. TRANSITIONAL PHASE-OUT OF BENEFITS FOR FAMILIES TO SUPPORT
SUCCESS IN WORK.
Section 402(a)(1)(B) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C.
602(a)(1)(B)) is amended by adding at the end the following:
``(vi) The document shall include a
description of how the State allows for a
transitional period of benefits, such as
through temporary earned income disregards or a
gradual reduction in the monthly benefit
amount, for an individual receiving assistance
who obtains employment and becomes ineligible
due to an increase in income obtained through
the employment or through an increase in
wages.''.
SEC. 4. EFFECTIVE DATE.
The amendments made by this Act shall take effect on October 1,
2022.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the Subcommittee on Worker and Family Support.
Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Education and Labor, 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 Committee on Education and Labor, 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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