I 
109TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2349 
To authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services to make grants 
to improve access to dependable, affordable automobiles by low-income 
families. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 12, 2005 
Ms. MOORE of Wisconsin introduced the following bill; which was referred to 
the Committee on Ways and Means 
A BILL 
To authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services 
to make grants to improve access to dependable, afford-
able automobiles by low-income families. 
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 ‘‘Creating Access to 
Rides Act’’.
SEC. 2. GRANTS FOR LOW-INCOME CAR OWNERSHIP PRO-
GRAMS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 403(a) of the Social Secu-
rity Act (42 U.S.C. 603(a)) is amended by adding at the 
end the following: 
‘‘(6) GRANTS FOR LOW-INCOME CAR OWNER-
SHIP PROGRAMS.— 
‘‘(A) PURPOSES.—The purposes of this 
paragraph are to— 
‘‘(i) assist low-income families obtain 
dependable, affordable automobiles to im-
prove their employment opportunities and 
access to training; and 
‘‘(ii) provide incentives to States, In-
dian tribes or tribal organizations, local-
ities, and nonprofit entities to develop and 
administer programs that provide assist-
ance with automobile ownership for low-in-
come families. 
‘‘(B) DEFINITIONS.—In this paragraph: 
‘‘(i) LOCALITY.—The term ‘locality’ 
means a municipality that does not admin-
ister a State program funded under this 
part. 
‘‘(ii) LOW-INCOME
FAMILIES.—The 
term ‘low-income families’ means families
with total income of not more than 200 
percent of the poverty line (as defined in 
section 673(2) of the Omnibus Budget 
Reconciliation Act of 1981, including any 
revision required by such section applicable 
to a family of the size involved). 
‘‘(iii) NONPROFIT ENTITY.—The term 
‘nonprofit entity’ means a school, local 
agency, organization, or institution owned 
and operated by 1 or more nonprofit cor-
porations or associations, no part of the 
net earnings of which inures, or may law-
fully inure, to the benefit of any private 
shareholder or individual. 
‘‘(C) AUTHORITY
TO
AWARD
GRANTS.— 
The Secretary may award grants to States, 
counties, localities, Indian tribes or tribal orga-
nizations, and nonprofit entities to promote im-
proving access to dependable, affordable auto-
mobiles by low-income families. 
‘‘(D) GRANT
APPROVAL
CRITERIA.—The 
Secretary shall establish criteria for approval of 
an application for a grant under this paragraph 
that include consideration of—
‘‘(i) the extent to which the proposal, 
if funded, is likely to improve access to 
training and employment opportunities and 
child care services by low-income families 
by means of car ownership; 
‘‘(ii) the level of innovation in the ap-
plicant’s grant proposal; and 
‘‘(iii) any partnerships between the 
public and private sector in the applicant’s 
grant proposal. 
‘‘(E) USE OF FUNDS.— 
‘‘(i) IN GENERAL.—A grant awarded 
under this paragraph shall be used to ad-
minister programs that assist low-income 
families with dependable automobile owner-
ship, and maintenance of, or insurance for, 
the purchased automobile. 
‘‘(ii) SUPPLEMENT NOT SUPPLANT.— 
Funds provided to a State, Indian tribe or 
tribal organization, county, or locality 
under a grant awarded under this para-
graph shall be used to supplement and not 
supplant other State, county, or local pub-
lic funds expended for car ownership pro-
grams.
‘‘(iii) GENERAL
RULES
GOVERNING 
USE OF FUNDS.—The rules of section 404, 
other than subsection (b) of that section, 
shall not apply to a grant made under this 
paragraph. 
‘‘(iv) RULE
OF
INTERPRETATION.— 
For purposes of any requirement, limita-
tion, or prohibition imposed on an indi-
vidual or family by or pursuant to this 
part, assistance provided to a low-income 
family pursuant to a program referred to 
in clause (i) shall not be considered assist-
ance under a State program funded under 
this part. 
‘‘(F) APPLICATION.—Each applicant desir-
ing a grant under this paragraph shall submit 
an application to the Secretary at such time, in 
such manner, and accompanied by such infor-
mation as the Secretary may reasonably re-
quire. 
‘‘(G) REVERSION OF FUNDS.—Any funds 
paid from to a grant made under this para-
graph that are not expended within 3 years 
after the date the grant is awarded shall be 
available for redistribution among other grant-
ees in such manner and amount as the Sec-
retary may determine, unless the Secretary ex-
tends by regulation the time period to expend 
the funds. 
‘‘(H) LIMITATION
ON
ADMINISTRATIVE 
COSTS OF THE SECRETARY.—Not more than an 
amount equal to 5 percent of the funds appro-
priated to make grants under this paragraph 
for a fiscal year shall be expended for adminis-
trative costs of the Secretary in carrying out 
this paragraph. 
‘‘(I) EVALUATION.—The Secretary shall, 
by grant, contract, or interagency agreement, 
conduct an evaluation of the programs adminis-
tered with grants awarded under this para-
graph. 
‘‘(J) LIMITATIONS ON AUTHORIZATION OF 
APPROPRIATIONS.—There are authorized to be 
appropriated to the Secretary for grants under 
this paragraph $50,000,000 for each of fiscal 
years 2006 through 2010.’’. 
(b) AUTHORITY TO USE FUNDS IN INDIVIDUAL DE-
VELOPMENT ACCOUNTS FOR CAR OWNERSHIP, MAINTE-
NANCE, AND INSURANCE.—
(1) ACCOUNTS ESTABLISHED UNDER THE TANF 
PROGRAM.— 
(A) ADDITIONAL QUALIFIED PURPOSE FOR 
USE OF FUNDS.—Section 404(h)(2)(B) of the 
Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 604(h)(2)(B)) is 
amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(iv) QUALIFIED
AUTOMOTIVE
EX-
PENDITURES.—Qualified automotive ex-
penditures paid from an individual develop-
ment account directly to the persons to 
whom the amounts are due.’’. 
(B) DEFINITION.—Section 404(h)(5) of 
the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 604(h)(5)) 
is amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(J) QUALIFIED
AUTOMOTIVE
EXPENDI-
TURES.—The term ‘qualified automotive ex-
penditures’ means expenditures for the pur-
chase or maintenance of an automobile, or for 
insurance for an automobile.’’. 
(2) ACCOUNTS ESTABLISHED UNDER THE AS-
SETS
FOR
INDEPENDENCE
PROGRAM.—Section 
404(8) of the Assets for Independence Act (42 
U.S.C. 604 note) is amended by adding at the end 
the following:
‘‘(E) QUALIFIED
AUTOMOTIVE
EXPENDI-
TURES.— 
‘‘(i) IN
GENERAL.—Qualified auto-
motive expenditures paid from an indi-
vidual development account directly to the 
persons to whom the amounts are due. 
‘‘(ii) DEFINITION.—In clause (i), the 
term ‘qualified automotive expenditures’ 
means expenditures for the purchase or 
maintenance of an automobile, or for in-
surance for an automobile.’’. 
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