I 

114TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 6458 

To amend title IV of the Social Security Act to prohibit a State from 

requiring individuals to submit to drug testing as a condition of assistance under the program of block grants to States for temporary assistance to needy families, to amend the United States Housing Act of 

1937 to prohibit a public housing agency from requiring individuals 

to submit to drug testing as a condition of assistance under the Housing 

Choice Voucher Program, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

DECEMBER 7, 2016 

Mr. VEASEY introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Financial Services, 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 of the Social Security Act to prohibit 

a State from requiring individuals to submit to drug 

testing as a condition of assistance under the program 

of block grants to States for temporary assistance to 

needy families, to amend the United States Housing 

Act of 1937 to prohibit a public housing agency from 

requiring individuals to submit to drug testing as a condition of assistance under the Housing Choice Voucher 

Program, and for other purposes. 


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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 ‘‘Help our Neediest 

5 Families Act of 2016’’. 

6 SEC. 2. PROHIBITION ON DRUG TESTING FOR THE PRO7 GRAM OF BLOCK GRANTS TO STATES FOR 

8 TEMPORARY ASSISTANCE TO NEEDY FAMI9 LIES. 

10 (a) IN GENERAL.—Section 408(a) of the Social Secu11 rity Act (42 U.S.C. 608(a)) is amended by adding at the 

12 end the following: 

13 ‘‘(13) PROHIBITION ON DRUG TESTING AS A

14 CONDITION ON THE RECEIPT OF ASSISTANCE.—A 

15 State to which a grant is made under section 403 

16 shall not— 

17 ‘‘(A) use any part of the grant to conduct 

18 drug testing on any applicant for assistance 

19 under the State program funded under this 

20 part or any recipient of such assistance; or 

21 ‘‘(B) require any individual to submit to 

22 drug testing as a condition for such assist23 ance.’’. 


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1 (b) PENALTY FOR NONCOMPLIANCE.—Section 

2 409(a) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 609(a)) is amended by add3 ing at the end the following: 

4 ‘‘(17) PENALTY FOR NONCOMPLIANCE WITH

5 PROHIBITION ON DRUG TESTING.—If the Secretary 

6 determines that a State to which a grant is made 

7 under section 403 for a fiscal year has violated sec8 tion 408(a)(13) during the fiscal year, the Secretary 

9 shall reduce the grant payable to the State under 

10 section 403(a)(1) for the immediately succeeding fis11 cal year by an amount equal to not more than 1 per12 cent of the State family assistance grant.’’. 

13 (c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 

14 this section shall take effect on the first day of the first 

15 calendar quarter that begins on or after the date that is 

16 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act. 

17 SEC. 3. PROHIBITION ON DRUG TESTING FOR HOUSING 

18 CHOICE VOUCHER PROGRAM. 

19 Section 8(o) of the United States Housing Act of 

20 1937 (42 USC 1437f) is amended by adding at the end 

21 the following new paragraph: 

22 ‘‘(20) PROHIBITION ON DRUG TESTING.—A 

23 public housing agency assisted under this subsection 

24 may not require any individual receiving assistance 

25 under this subsection to submit to drug testing as 


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1 a condition for receipt of assistance under this sub2 section.’’. 

Æ 


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