I
105TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 1066
To amend title 5, United States Code, to provide that an individual who
receives a passing grade in an examination for entrance into the competi-
tive service shall, if such individual is a welfare recipient, be granted
additional points above the individual’s earned rating.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
MARCH 13, 1997
Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas introduced the following bill; which
was referred to the Committee on Government Reform and Oversight
A BILL
To amend title 5, United States Code, to provide that an
individual who receives a passing grade in an examina-
tion for entrance into the competitive service shall, if
such individual is a welfare recipient, be granted addi-
tional points above the individual’s earned rating.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Federal Jobs Oppor-
tunity Act’’.
SEC. 2. ADDITIONAL POINTS FOR WELFARE RECIPIENTS.
(a) IN GENERAL.—Subchapter I of chapter 33 of title
5, United States Code, is amended by inserting after sec-
tion 3309 the following:
‘‘§ 3309a. Welfare 
recipients; 
examinations; 
addi-
tional points for
‘‘(a) For purposes of this section—
‘‘(1) the term ‘welfare recipient’ means an indi-
vidual receiving any welfare benefit, including, in the
case of any welfare benefit furnished with respect to
a family, household, or other similar unit, individ-
uals identified in accordance with provisions which
shall be prescribed under subsection (e); and
‘‘(2) the term ‘welfare benefit’ means any of the
following:
‘‘(A) Assistance under a State program
funded under part A of title IV of the Social
Security Act.
‘‘(B) Supplemental security income bene-
fits under title XVI of the Social Security Act.
‘‘(C) Benefits under the food stamp pro-
gram (as defined in section 3(h) of the Food
Stamp Act of 1977.
‘‘(D) Food assistance (including commod-
ities) distributed to low-income individuals
under any program for which Federal financial
assistance is provided.
‘‘(E) Assistance provided under the Na-
tional School Lunch Act and the Child Nutri-
tion Act of 1966, including the special supple-
mental nutrition program for women, infants,
and children under section 17 of such Act.
‘‘(F) Services for the benefit of low-income
individuals provided under any program for
which Federal financial assistance is provided.
‘‘(G) Housing assistance under a program
administered by the Secretary of Housing and
Urban Development or the Secretary of Agri-
culture under which eligibility is determined
based on the income of the family applying (ex-
cluding assistance under any mortgage insur-
ance or loan guarantee program).
‘‘(b) An individual who receives a passing grade in
an examination for entrance into the competitive service,
and, on the date of taking such examination or at any
time within the 14-day period immediately preceding such
date, is a welfare recipient, is entitled to 3 additional
points above the rating earned by such individual.
‘‘(c) If, besides the additional points under subsection
(b), an individual would also be entitled to any number
of additional points (above the rating earned by such indi-
vidual) on the same examination under any other author-
ity, the additional points under subsection (b) shall be in
addition to the additional points to which such individual
would otherwise have been entitled if this section had not
been enacted.
‘‘(d) Any entitlement of an individual to additional
points under subsection (b) in connection with a particular
examination shall terminate—
‘‘(1) upon the termination of the individual’s
entitlement to welfare benefits (or within such rea-
sonable period thereafter as may be provided for
under subsection (e)); or
‘‘(2) if later, upon the expiration of the 12-
month period beginning on the date of the examina-
tion.
Paragraph (2) shall not apply if the welfare benefits are
terminated by reason of fraud or for other similar reasons.
‘‘(e) The Office of Personnel Management shall pre-
scribe any regulations necessary to carry out this section.
Such regulations shall include provisions relating to—
‘‘(1) how an individual may demonstrate that
such individual qualifies for being considered a wel-
fare recipient for purposes of this section; and
‘‘(2) procedures under which the Office, an ap-
pointing authority, or another official or agency shall
be notified in the event of a termination of welfare
benefits.’’.
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The analysis for chap-
ter 33 of title 5, United States Code, is amended by insert-
ing after the item relating to section 3309 the following:
‘‘3309a. Welfare recipients; examinations; additional points for.’’.
(c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by
this section shall apply as soon as practicable, but in no
event later than with respect to examinations held after
the end of the 6-month period beginning on the date of
the enactment of this Act.
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