I 

111TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 5891 

To direct the Bureau of the Census to publish improved annual measures 

of family income for use in more accurately determining the extent 

of poverty in the United States and the anti-poverty effectiveness of 

means-tested benefit and tax programs, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JULY 28, 2010 

Mr. LINDER introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, 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 direct the Bureau of the Census to publish improved 

annual measures of family income for use in more accurately determining the extent of poverty in the United 

States and the anti-poverty effectiveness of means-tested 

benefit and tax programs, and for other purposes. 

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 ‘‘Poverty Measurement 

5 Improvement Act’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. IMPROVED MEASURES OF INCOME AND POVERTY. 

2 Part A of title XI of the Social Security Act (42 

3 U.S.C. 1301—1320b–21) is amended by adding at the 

4 end the following: 

5 ‘‘SEC. 1150A. IMPROVED MEASURES OF INCOME AND POV6 ERTY. 

7 ‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—In order to more accurately de8 termine the extent of poverty in the United States, and 

9 the anti-poverty effectiveness of means-tested benefit and 

10 tax programs, the Bureau of the Census shall publish an11 nually statistics on levels of family income in the United 

12 States. Such statistics shall take into account, at a min13 imum, the full benefits poverty income measure and the 

14 partial benefits poverty income measure, as follows: 

15 ‘‘(b) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

16 ‘‘(1) FULL BENEFITS POVERTY INCOME MEAS17 URE.—The term ‘full benefits poverty income meas18 ure’ means the sum of the partial benefits poverty 

19 income measure and other noncash benefits (includ20 ing supplemental nutrition assistance benefits, hous21 ing subsidies, the actuarial value of health insurance 

22 coverage, and any other State or Federal means23 tested benefits) attributable to the members of the 

24 household involved, including non-related members. 

25 In calculating the sum, the Bureau of the Census 


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1 shall apply its current disposable income method2 ology, which includes— 

3 ‘‘(A) earnings, unemployment compensa4 tion under Federal or State law, worker’s com5 pensation, social security benefits, supplemental 

6 security income benefits, public assistance (in7 cluding TANF or other welfare benefits), vet8 erans’ payments, survivor benefits, disability 

9 benefits, retirement income, interest, dividends, 

10 rent, other income, alimony, child support, edu11 cation assistance, capital gains, the market 

12 value of supplemental nutrition assistance bene13 fits, the market value of school lunch program 

14 benefits, housing subsidies, and estimated re15 turn to home equity; 

16 ‘‘(B) the net Federal tax liability or re17 fund, after taking account of any refundable 

18 credits such as the earned income credit or the 

19 child tax credit; and 

20 ‘‘(C) capital losses, State income tax 

21 liablity after State refundable credits, Federal 

22 Insurance Contributions Act taxes, retirement 

23 contributions (including Federal retirement 

24 payroll contributions), property taxes, and estiVerDate Mar 15 2010 05:25 Jul 29, 2010 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H5891.IH H5891

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1 mated work expenses (such as child care and 

2 work-related transportation expenses). 

3 ‘‘(2) PARTIAL BENEFITS POVERTY INCOME

4 MEASURE.—In this section, the term ‘partial bene5 fits poverty income measure’ means money income, 

6 as defined by the Bureau of the Census for purposes 

7 of any survey relating to income or poverty in the 

8 United States. 

9 ‘‘(c) RATES AND OTHER DATA.—The Bureau of the 

10 Census shall produce corresponding tables and graphs 

11 showing for each year the following: 

12 ‘‘(1) The poverty rate (and related data), deter13 mined by using the full benefits poverty income 

14 measure. 

15 ‘‘(2) The poverty rate (and related data), deter16 mined by using the partial benefits poverty income 

17 measure.’’. 

Æ 


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