I 

116TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 7950 

To provide emergency relief to youth, children, and families experiencing 

homelessness, in light of the health and economic consequences of 

COVID–19. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

AUGUST 7, 2020 

Mr. YARMUTH (for himself, Mr. BACON, Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois, and 

Mr. YOUNG) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Financial Services 

A BILL 

To provide emergency relief to youth, children, and families 

experiencing homelessness, in light of the health and 

economic consequences of COVID–19. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Emergency Family 

5 Stabilization Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 

7 In this Act: 

8 (1) CURRENT ACF GRANT OR SUBGRANT RE9 CIPIENT.—The term ‘‘current ACF grant or 


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1 subgrant recipient’’ means an Indian Tribe, Tribal 

2 organization, local educational agency, or a local 

3 public, private, or Indian nonprofit agency or organi4 zation (including culturally specific community-based 

5 and faith-based organizations) that, as of the date of 

6 application for a grant under section 3, is also re7 ceiving another grant or subgrant administered by 

8 the Administration for Children and Families. 

9 (2) DIRECTOR.—The term ‘‘Director’’ means 

10 the Director of the Office of Community Services of 

11 the Department of Health and Human Services. 

12 (3) DIRECT SERVICES.— 

13 (A) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in 

14 subparagraph (B), the term ‘‘direct services’’ 

15 does not include providing referrals or oper16 ating a coordinated entry system or homeless 

17 management information system, by itself. 

18 (B) INDIAN TRIBES OR TRIBAL ORGANIZA19 TIONS.—An Indian Tribe or Tribal organization 

20 that provides referrals or assists other service 

21 providers with direct services shall be consid22 ered as providing direct services for purposes of 

23 this Act. 

24 (4) FAMILY STABILIZATION AGENCY.—The 

25 term ‘‘family stabilization agency’’ means— 


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1 (A) a current ACF grant or subgrant re2 cipient; 

3 (B) an Indian Tribe or Tribal organiza4 tion; 

5 (C) an urban Indian organization; 

6 (D) a local educational agency; or 

7 (E) a local public, private, or Indian non8 profit agency or organization (including com9 munity-based, culturally specific, and faith10 based organizations), with expertise and dem11 onstrated experience providing direct services to 

12 1 or more of the following populations: 

13 (i) Children experiencing homeless14 ness, including children under age 6. 

15 (ii) Unaccompanied homeless youth 

16 under the age of 18. 

17 (iii) Unaccompanied homeless youth 

18 between the ages of 18 and 25. 

19 (iv) Pregnant women, and pregnant or 

20 parenting youth, experiencing homeless21 ness. 

22 (v) Families experiencing homeless23 ness. 


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1 (vi) Survivors of dating violence, do2 mestic violence, sexual assault, family vio3 lence, or trafficking. 

4 (5) INDIAN TRIBE.—The term ‘‘Indian Tribe’’ 

5 means an Indian tribe, as defined in section 4 of the 

6 Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance 

7 Act (25 U.S.C. 5304). 

8 (6) LOCAL EDUCATIONAL AGENCY.—The term 

9 ‘‘local educational agency’’ has the meaning given 

10 the term in section 8101 of the Elementary and Sec11 ondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801). 

12 (7) RURAL.—The term ‘‘rural’’ means a unit of 

13 local government with a population of less than 

14 50,000. 

15 (8) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 

16 the Secretary of Health and Human Services. 

17 (9) TRIBAL ORGANIZATION.—The term ‘‘Tribal 

18 organization’’ means a tribal organization, as de19 fined in section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination 

20 and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304). 

21 (10) URBAN INDIAN ORGANIZATION.—The term 

22 ‘‘urban Indian organization’’ has the meaning given 

23 the term ‘‘Urban Indian organization’’ in section 4 

24 of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act (25 

25 U.S.C. 1603). 


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1 (11) YOUTH, CHILD, OR FAMILY EXPERIENCING

2 HOMELESSNESS.—The term ‘‘youth, child, or family 

3 experiencing homelessness’’ means— 

4 (A) a homeless child or youth, as defined 

5 in section 725(2) of the McKinney-Vento 

6 Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 

7 11434a(2)), who is under the age of 25; 

8 (B) an unaccompanied youth, as defined in 

9 section 725(6) of the McKinney-Vento Home10 less Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 11434a(6)), who 

11 is under the age of 25; or 

12 (C) a household of not less than 2 people 

13 that includes not less than 1 person under age 

14 22 who is a homeless child or youth, as defined 

15 in section 725(2) of the McKinney-Vento 

16 Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 

17 11434a(2)). 

18 (12) STATE.—The term ‘‘State’’ means any of 

19 the several States, the District of Columbia, the Vir20 gin Islands of the United States, the Commonwealth 

21 of Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, or the 

22 Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. 

23 SEC. 3. GRANTS TO FAMILY STABILIZATION AGENCIES. 

24 (a) GRANT PROGRAM AUTHORIZED.— 


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1 (1) IN GENERAL.—From amounts made avail2 able under section 4 and not reserved under sub3 section (b), the Secretary, acting through the Direc4 tor, shall, on a competitive basis in accordance with 

5 subsection (d), award grants to family stabilization 

6 agencies (including current ACF grant or subgrant 

7 recipients and entities that have not previously re8 ceived grants from the Administration for Children 

9 and Families) to enable the family stabilization 

10 agencies to carry out the activities described in sub11 section (e). 

12 (2) DISTRIBUTION TIMING.— 

13 (A) CURRENT ACF GRANT OR SUBGRANT

14 RECIPIENTS.—The Secretary shall award grants 

15 under this section, in accordance with sub16 section (d), to family stabilization agencies that 

17 are current ACF grant or subgrant recipients 

18 by not later than the date that is 45 days after 

19 the date of enactment of this Act. 

20 (B) ADDITIONAL GRANTEES.—The Sec21 retary shall award grants under this section, in 

22 accordance with subsection (d), to family sta23 bilization agencies that are not current ACF 

24 grant or subgrant recipients by not later than 


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1 the date that is 130 days after the date of en2 actment of this Act. 

3 (3) DISSEMINATION OF APPLICATIONS.—The 

4 Secretary shall— 

5 (A) ensure the application for grants under 

6 this Act is broadly disseminated, including 

7 through public posting on the website of the 

8 Administration for Children and Families and 

9 sharing with current ACF grant or subgrant re10 cipients; and 

11 (B) make special dissemination efforts to 

12 rural areas and among Indian Tribes and Trib13 al organizations. 

14 (b) RESERVATION.—The Secretary shall reserve not 

15 less than 1 percent and not more than 1.5 percent of the 

16 amount appropriated under this Act to be used for admin17 istration, oversight, and technical assistance activities 

18 through the Administration for Children and Families. 

19 (c) APPLICATION.—A family stabilization agency that 

20 desires to receive a grant under this Act shall submit an 

21 application to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, 

22 and containing or accompanied by such information as the 

23 Secretary may reasonably require. Such application shall 

24 include the following: 


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1 (1) A description of the housing, education, 

2 health, mental and behavioral health, employment, 

3 and other needs of youth, children, and families ex4 periencing homelessness, in the area served by such 

5 agency, specifically including youth, children, and 

6 families who are sharing the housing of other per7 sons due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or 

8 a similar reason. 

9 (2) Available data on the extent of youth, child, 

10 and family homelessness in the area served by such 

11 agency, including data available from local edu12 cational agencies and data on child poverty in the 

13 area. 

14 (3) A description of barriers youth, children, 

15 and families experiencing homelessness face in ac16 cessing services, including barriers related to dating 

17 violence, domestic violence, sexual assault, family vi18 olence, poverty, lack of employment, lack of trans19 portation, lack of telephone and internet 

20 connectivity, educational needs, and language acces21 sibility. 

22 (4) A description of such agency’s direct service 

23 expertise and experience with youth, child, or family 

24 homelessness, specifically including youth, children, 

25 and families who are sharing the housing of other 


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1 persons due to loss of housing, economic hardship, 

2 or a similar reason. 

3 (5) A description of the area served by such 

4 agency, including whether the service area is urban, 

5 suburban, rural, or Tribal. If the applicant claims to 

6 cover a Tribal service area but is not an Indian 

7 Tribe or Tribal organization, the applicant shall pro8 vide evidence of having consulted with the Indian 

9 Tribe or Tribal organization whose service area the 

10 applicant claims to cover and provide proof that the 

11 Indian Tribe or Tribal organization supports the ap12 plicant’s application. 

13 (6) A description of such agency’s existing part14 nerships with other agencies or organizations with 

15 experience serving youth, children, and families ex16 periencing homelessness. 

17 (7) A description of how funds received under 

18 the grant will be used to provide emergency relief to 

19 youth, children, and families experiencing homeless20 ness, specifically including— 

21 (A) youth, children, and families who are 

22 sharing the housing of other persons due to loss 

23 of housing, economic hardship, or a similar rea24 son; and 


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1 (B) youth, children, and families experi2 encing homelessness who are not receiving serv3 ices through the Continuum of Care program 

4 under subpart C of title IV of the McKinney5 Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 

6 11381 et seq.) as of the date of the application. 

7 (d) AWARD BASIS.— 

8 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall award 

9 grants under this section on the basis of— 

10 (A) the need in the area served by each ap11 plicant; 

12 (B) the quality of each application; and 

13 (C) the distribution and priority require14 ments under paragraphs (4) and (5). 

15 (2) NEED.—In determining need under para16 graph (1)(A), the Secretary shall consider— 

17 (A) the extent of children, youth, and fam18 ilies experiencing homelessness in the area 

19 served by the family stabilization agency, in20 cluding data available from local educational 

21 agencies and data on child poverty; 

22 (B) the extent to which the proposed uses 

23 of funds will provide emergency relief to meet 

24 unmet needs of youth, children, and families ex25 periencing homelessness, specifically including 


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1 youth, children, and families who are sharing 

2 the housing of other persons due to loss of 

3 housing, economic hardship, or a similar rea4 son; 

5 (C) the extent to which the proposed uses 

6 of funds will provide emergency relief to youth, 

7 children, and families experiencing homeless8 ness who are not currently receiving services 

9 through the Continuum of Care program under 

10 subpart C of title IV of the McKinney-Vento 

11 Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 11381 et 

12 seq.); and 

13 (D) the extent to which the application ad14 dresses the particular needs of pregnant 

15 women, pregnant and parenting youth, Indian 

16 women, children under age 6, children with dis17 abilities, families experiencing domestic vio18 lence, survivors of sexual assault or human traf19 ficking, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, 

20 queer, questioning, intersex, or asexual 

21 (LGBTQIA) individuals, or racial and ethnic 

22 minority populations. 

23 (3) QUALITY.—In determining quality under 

24 paragraph (1)(B), the Secretary shall consider, for 

25 both current ACF grant or subgrant recipients and 


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1 not current ACF grant or subgrant recipients, the 

2 following: 

3 (A) The family stabilization agency’s needs 

4 assessment under subsection (c)(1) and the 

5 likelihood that the program presented in the ap6 plication will meet such needs. 

7 (B) The types, intensity, and coordination 

8 of the emergency relief to be provided under the 

9 program to youth, children, and families experi10 encing homelessness. 

11 (C) The extent of the family stabilization 

12 agency’s demonstrated expertise and experience 

13 providing direct services to youth, children, and 

14 families experiencing homelessness who are 

15 sharing the housing of other persons due to loss 

16 of housing, economic hardship, or a similar rea17 son. 

18 (D) The robustness of such agency’s plan 

19 to reach youth, children, and families experi20 encing homelessness who are sharing the hous21 ing of other persons due to loss of housing, eco22 nomic hardship, or a similar reason, including 

23 those who have lost a caregiver or family mem24 ber to COVID-19. 


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1 (E) The extent of such agency’s dem2 onstrated expertise and experience in providing 

3 direct services to youth, children, and families 

4 experiencing homelessness specifically. 

5 (F) The extent to which the program pre6 sented in the application represents a multi7 generational approach to supporting youth, chil8 dren, and families experiencing homelessness. 

9 (G) The extent to which the application re10 flects coordination with local educational agen11 cies and public or private nonprofit agencies or 

12 organizations with experience serving youth, 

13 children, and families experiencing homeless14 ness. 

15 (H) The extent to which the family sta16 bilization agency is, has been, or has specific 

17 plans to partner with, a recipient of a grant or 

18 subgrant administered by the Administration 

19 for Children and Families. 

20 (4) DISTRIBUTION OF AWARDS.— 

21 (A) DISTRIBUTION AMONG TYPES OF COM22 MUNITIES.—In awarding grants under sub23 section (a), the Secretary shall ensure that 

24 funds are distributed according to the following 

25 allocation percentages: 


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1 (i) Not less than 10 percent of the 

2 funds available for grants under this sec3 tion shall be awarded to family stabiliza4 tion agencies that are Indian Tribes or 

5 Tribal organizations serving youth, chil6 dren, and families experiencing homeless7 ness. 

8 (ii) Not less than 36 percent of the 

9 funds available for grants under this Act 

10 shall be awarded to family stabilization 

11 agencies serving predominantly rural areas. 

12 (iii) Not less than 30 percent of the 

13 funds available for grants under this Act 

14 shall be awarded to family stabilization 

15 agencies serving predominantly suburban 

16 areas. 

17 (iv) Not more than 24 percent of the 

18 funds available for grants under this Act 

19 shall be awarded to family stabilization 

20 agencies serving predominantly urban 

21 areas. 

22 (B) DISTRIBUTION TO EXPERIENCED

23 GRANTEES.—In awarding grants under sub24 section (a), the Secretary shall ensure that— 


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1 (i) 80 percent of the funds available 

2 for grants under this section are distrib3 uted to family stabilization agencies— 

4 (I) that are current ACF grant 

5 or subgrant recipients; and 

6 (II) which may apply in partner7 ship with local educational agencies, 

8 Tribal educational agencies, public 

9 housing agencies, tribally designated 

10 housing entities, community develop11 ment financial institutions, State 

12 housing finance agencies, programs 

13 that provide shelter to youth experi14 encing homelessness who are pregnant 

15 or parenting, public health agencies, 

16 domestic violence, dating violence, sex17 ual assault, and family violence orga18 nizations, culturally specific organiza19 tions, institutions of higher education 

20 as defined in section 101 of the High21 er Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 

22 1001), urban Indian organizations, or 

23 other community partners; and 

24 (ii) 20 percent of the funds are dis25 tributed as grants to family stabilization 


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1 agencies that are not current ACF grant 

2 or subgrant recipients. 

3 (C) SPECIAL EXCEPTION FOR GRANTS TO

4 INDIAN TRIBES OR TRIBAL ORGANIZATIONS.— 

5 (i) IN GENERAL.—In awarding grants 

6 to family stabilization agencies that are In7 dian Tribes or Tribal organizations pursu8 ant to subparagraph (A)(i), the Secretary 

9 may waive any requirements of paragraph 

10 (2) or (3) or subsection (c). 

11 (ii) ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS.— 

12 In awarding grants pursuant to subpara13 graph (A)(i), the Secretary shall consider 

14 family stabilization agencies that are In15 dian Tribes and Tribal organizations that 

16 provide services that address child abuse 

17 and neglect. 

18 (D) DISTRIBUTION AMONG STATES.—In 

19 awarding grants under subsection (a), the Sec20 retary shall ensure that at least one family sta21 bilization agency in each State receives a grant 

22 in each State from which an application that 

23 meets the requirements of this section is re24 ceived. 


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1 (5) PRIORITY IN AWARDS.—In awarding grants 

2 under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall give pri3 ority to applications that will provide emergency re4 lief to youth, children, and families experiencing 

5 homelessness who are sharing the housing of other 

6 persons due to loss of housing, economic hardship, 

7 or a similar reason, while ensuring the distribution 

8 of awards in accordance with paragraph (4). 

9 (e) AUTHORIZED ACTIVITIES.—Family stabilization 

10 agencies may use funds awarded under this section to pro11 vide emergency relief to youth, children, and families expe12 riencing homelessness, including the following: 

13 (1) The provision of personnel necessary to pro14 vide emergency relief and ensure services, resources, 

15 and assistance reach youth, children, and families 

16 experiencing homelessness, whether such personnel 

17 are employees of the family stabilization agency or 

18 a nonprofit community partner. 

19 (2) The provision of personal protective equip20 ment, hygiene supplies, and other supplies deter21 mined to be necessary to mitigate the spread of 

22 Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID–19) by the Cen23 ters for Disease Control and Prevention, the Occu24 pational Safety and Health Administration, a State, 

25 an Indian Tribe or Tribal organization, or a locality 


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1 for personnel delivering services and for youth, chil2 dren, and families experiencing homelessness. 

3 (3) Payments to meet shelter and housing-re4 lated needs to support safety and health, including 

5 payments for— 

6 (A) security deposits; 

7 (B) eviction prevention; 

8 (C) utility connection fees and payments; 

9 (D) outstanding rental, utility, motel, and 

10 other bills as needed to enter housing or con11 nect utilities; 

12 (E) motel or hotel stays; 

13 (F) housing placement; 

14 (G) records expungement; and 

15 (H) other assistance. 

16 (4) The provision of food and equipment needed 

17 to prepare food. 

18 (5) The provision of medical and dental health 

19 services, including preventive care. 

20 (6) The provision of mental and behavioral 

21 health services, including preventive care. 

22 (7) The provision of clothing, access to laundry 

23 facilities, clothes washers and dryers, detergent, and 

24 personal hygiene supplies. 


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1 (8) The provision of transportation, including 

2 payments for gas, emergency vehicle repairs, re3 quired insurance, driver’s education and driver’s li4 cense fees, public transportation, and other trans5 portation appropriate for Tribal and rural locations. 

6 (9) The provision of support to meet commu7 nications and connectivity needs, including internet 

8 connectivity, outstanding internet or telephone bills 

9 as needed to connect communications services, elec10 tronic and connected devices, hotspots, portable 

11 chargers, pre-paid phone cards, calling minutes and 

12 data plans, and costs to ship items and supplies. 

13 (10) The provision of support to meet edu14 cational and employment needs, including academic 

15 support, distance learning support, resources, and 

16 access, child care, social and emotional supports, ca17 reer and technical education, employment training 

18 and placement, and similar supports. 

19 (11) The purchase and distribution of store 

20 cards, gift cards, prepaid debit cards, and vouchers 

21 to allow youth, children, and families experiencing 

22 homelessness to purchase any items or services that 

23 constitute emergency relief. 

24 (12) The provision of mentorship and service 

25 coordination. 


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1 (13) The provision of services and supports to 

2 meet the particular needs of pregnant women, preg3 nant and parenting youth, and children birth to age 

4 five, experiencing homelessness. 

5 (14) The provision of services and supports to 

6 meet the particular needs of unaccompanied youth 

7 experiencing homelessness. 

8 (15) The provision of services and supports to 

9 meet the particular needs of survivors of domestic 

10 violence, sexual assault, or trafficking. 

11 (16) The provision of assistance in accessing 

12 advance refunds payable under section 6428(f) of 

13 the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (commonly re14 ferred to as ‘‘economic impact payments’’), unem15 ployment compensation, and other benefits provided 

16 by Federal, State and local governments. 

17 (17) The provision of services and supports to 

18 prevent and respond to child abuse and neglect. 

19 (18) The provision of culturally specific services 

20 and supports to meet the particular needs of chil21 dren, family, and youth from racial and ethnic mi22 nority populations. 

23 (19) The provision of other extraordinary or 

24 emergency assistance needed to promote the safety 


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1 and self-sufficiency of youth, children, and families 

2 experiencing homelessness. 

3 (20) Other purposes as determined by the Sec4 retary. 

5 (f) REPORTING.— 

6 (1) REPORT TO THE SECRETARY.—A family 

7 stabilization agency receiving a grant under this Act 

8 shall submit a report to the Secretary at such time 

9 and in such manner as the Secretary shall require, 

10 that describes the number and demographics of chil11 dren, youth, and families served with grant funds, 

12 including the number of such youth, children, or 

13 families experiencing homelessness, and the activities 

14 implemented to provide emergency relief to youth, 

15 children, and families experiencing homelessness. 

16 (2) REPORT TO THE CONGRESS.—Not later 

17 than 18 months after the date of enactment of this 

18 Act, the Secretary shall prepare and submit to the 

19 Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pen20 sions of the Senate and the Committee on Education 

21 and Labor of the House of Representatives a report 

22 describing the characteristics of the family stabiliza23 tion agencies that received a grant under this Act 

24 and summarizing the findings from the reports re25 ceived under paragraph (1). 


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1 (3) CONFIDENTIALITY OF INFORMATION.—For 

2 the purpose of preparing or submitting a report re3 quired under this subsection, information that per4 sonally identifies any individual may not be dis5 closed. 

6 SEC. 4. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 

7 There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out 

8 this Act $2,000,000,000. 

Æ 


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