I 
114TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1655 
To amend the Community Services Block Grant Act to reauthorize and 
modernize the Act. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 26, 2015 
Mr. FITZPATRICK (for himself, Ms. MCCOLLUM, Mr. GOODLATTE, Mr. COSTA, 
Mr. HANNA, Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania, Mr. DENT, and Mr. 
BARLETTA) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Education and the Workforce 
A BILL 
To amend the Community Services Block Grant Act to 
reauthorize and modernize the Act. 
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 ‘‘Community Economic 
Opportunity Act of 2015’’. 
SEC. 2. PREAUTHORIZATION. 
The Community Services Block Grant Act (42 U.S.C. 
9901 et seq.) is amended to read as follows: 
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‘‘Subtitle B—Community Services 
Block Grant Program 
‘‘SEC. 671. SHORT TITLE. 
‘‘This subtitle may be cited as the ‘Community Serv-
ices Block Grant Act’. 
‘‘SEC. 672. PURPOSES. 
‘‘The purposes of this subtitle are— 
‘‘(1) to reduce poverty in United States commu-
nities by supporting the activities of community ac-
tion agencies that reduce the causes and conditions 
of poverty and persistent economic insecurity by— 
‘‘(A) providing individuals and families 
with opportunities to become economically se-
cure; and 
‘‘(B) developing new economic opportuni-
ties in the communities in which low- and mod-
erate-income individuals live; and 
‘‘(2) to accomplish the objectives described in 
paragraph (1) by— 
‘‘(A) strengthening community capabilities 
for identifying poverty conditions and opportu-
nities to alleviate such conditions and planning 
Federal, State, local, and other assistance, in-
cluding private resources, related to the reduc-
tion of poverty so that resources can be used in 
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‘‘(II) 
individuals, 
businesses, 
labor organizations, professional orga-
nizations, and other organizations en-
gaged in expanding opportunities for 
all individuals; and 
‘‘(III) local government leaders; 
and 
‘‘(F) ensuring the maximum feasible par-
ticipation of residents of low-income commu-
nities and of members of the groups served by 
programs, projects, and services under this sub-
title, in advising and assessing the eligible enti-
ties and in designing their programs, projects, 
and services funded under this subtitle. 
‘‘SEC. 673. DEFINITIONS. 
‘‘In this subtitle: 
‘‘(1) COMMUNITY ACTION AGENCY; COMMUNITY 
SERVICES NETWORK ORGANIZATION; ELIGIBLE ENTI-
TY.— 
‘‘(A) COMMUNITY
ACTION
AGENCY.—The 
term ‘community action agency’ means an eligi-
ble entity (which meets the requirements of 
paragraph (1) or (2), as appropriate, of section 
681(c)) that is a public charity and that deliv-
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ers multiple programs, projects, or services to a 
variety of low-income groups. 
‘‘(B) COMMUNITY SERVICES NETWORK OR-
GANIZATION.—The term ‘community services 
network organization’ means any of the fol-
lowing organizations funded under this sub-
title— 
‘‘(i) a grantee; 
‘‘(ii) an eligible entity; 
‘‘(iii) an association of grantees or eli-
gible entities; or 
‘‘(iv) an association— 
‘‘(I) with a membership com-
posed of grantees, eligible entities, or 
associations of grantees or eligible en-
tities; and 
‘‘(II) that is governed by a Board 
of Directors composed so that 3⁄4 of 
the Directors are employees or des-
ignees of such grantees, such eligible 
entities, or such associations, or are 
employees or other designees of such 
grantees such eligible entities, or such 
associations. 
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‘‘(C) ELIGIBLE ENTITY.—The term ‘eligi-
ble entity’ means an entity— 
‘‘(i) that is an eligible entity described 
in section 673(1) as in effect on October 
26, 1998, or has been designated by the 
process described in section 681(a) (includ-
ing an organization serving migrant or sea-
sonal farmworkers that is so described or 
designated); and 
‘‘(ii) that has a tripartite board or 
other mechanism described in paragraph 
(1) or (2), as appropriate, of section 
681(c). 
‘‘(2) COMMUNITY
ACTION
PROGRAM
PLAN.— 
community action program plan means a detailed 
plan, including a budget, for expenditures of funds 
appropriated for a fiscal year under this subtitle for 
the activities supported directly or indirectly by such 
funds. 
‘‘(3) COMMUNITY ACTION STRATEGIC PLAN.— 
The term ‘community action strategic plan’ means a 
plan that is adopted as the policy of an eligible enti-
ty and that— 
‘‘(A) establishes goals for a period of not 
less than 4 years that are based on meeting 
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needs identified by the entity in consultation 
with the residents of the community through a 
process of comprehensive community needs as-
sessment; 
‘‘(B) provides detail on how all activities of 
an eligible entity under this subtitle will con-
tribute to meeting such goals including, but not 
limited to, how such entity will use funding re-
ceived under this subtitle to reduce the impact 
of the causes of poverty in the community; and 
‘‘(C) specifies how such activities will be 
managed, funded, and measured by the per-
formance measurement system of such entity. 
‘‘(4) GRANTEE.—The term ‘grantee’ means a 
recipient of a grant under section 677 or 678 or a 
corresponding provision of this subtitle (as in effect 
on the day before the date of enactment of the Com-
munity Economic Opportunity Act of 2015). 
‘‘(5) PERFORMANCE
BENCHMARK.—The term 
‘performance benchmark’ means a measurable objec-
tive for the operations and activities set out in a 
community action program plan or a State plan 
under this subtitle. Such annual objectives may be 
part of, but not the entirety of, the outcomes identi-
fied by the performance measurement system in 
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which a community services network organization 
participates. 
‘‘(6) PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENT SYSTEM.— 
The term ‘performance measurement system’ means 
a management information system that collects and 
reports information about the outcomes of activities 
and investments funded in whole or in part with 
funds appropriated under this subtitle, including but 
not limited to annual performance benchmarks, com-
pares the actual outcomes with the intended out-
comes, and is used as a basis for management deci-
sions regarding future use of resources provided 
under this subtitle. 
‘‘(7) POVERTY LINE.— 
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—The term ‘poverty 
line’ means the official poverty line defined by 
the Office of Management and Budget, based 
on the most recent data available from the Bu-
reau of the Census, subject to subparagraphs 
(C) and (D). The Secretary shall revise the pov-
erty line annually (or at any shorter interval 
the Secretary determines to be feasible and de-
sirable). The required revision shall be accom-
plished by multiplying the official poverty line 
by the percentage change in the Consumer 
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Price Index for All Urban Consumers during 
the annual or other interval immediately pre-
ceding the time at which the revision is made. 
‘‘(B) COMMUNITY SERVICES BLOCK GRANT 
ELIGIBILITY CRITERION.—Subject to subpara-
graphs (C), (D), and (E), the poverty line, as 
defined in subparagraph (A), shall be used as 
a criterion of eligibility for services or assist-
ance provided to individuals or families through 
the community services block grant program es-
tablished under this subtitle. 
‘‘(C) 
STATE
REVISION
OF
POVERTY 
LINE.—Whenever a State determines that it 
serves the objectives of the block grant program 
established under this subtitle, the State may 
rewrite the poverty line not to exceed 125 per-
cent of the official poverty line otherwise appli-
cable under subparagraph (A). 
‘‘(D) WAIVERS FOR STATE USE OF HIGHER 
ELIGIBILITY
LEVEL.—Whenever a community 
action program plan provides that a program, 
project, or service funded under this subtitle re-
quires use of a higher eligibility standard than 
the standard otherwise applicable under this 
paragraph, for the purpose of ensuring (for the 
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purposes of this subtitle) coordination of activi-
ties carried out under with other programs or 
activities of eligible entities. The State shall, as 
part of the annual application described in sec-
tion 680, apply such standard with respect to 
that program, or activity and provide docu-
mentation regarding the benefit of and need for 
such adjustment. 
‘‘(E) PROCEDURES FOR CONTINUED ELIGI-
BILITY.—A State may establish procedures to 
ensure that a participant in a program, project, 
or service funded under this subtitle remains el-
igible to participate as long as the participant 
is successfully progressing towards achievement 
of the goals of the program, project, or service, 
regardless of any income eligibility criteria. 
‘‘(8) PRIVATE, NONPROFIT
ORGANIZATION.— 
The term ‘private nonprofit organization’ includes a 
religious organization to which the provisions of sec-
tion 690 shall apply. 
‘‘(9) PUBLIC CHARITY.—The term ‘public char-
ity’ means a domestic organization that is— 
‘‘(A) described in section 501(c)(3) of the 
Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and exempt 
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from taxation under section 501(a) of such 
Code; and 
‘‘(B) described in paragraph (1) or (2) of 
section 509(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 
1986. 
‘‘(10) 
SECRETARY.—The 
term 
‘Secretary’ 
means the Secretary of Health and Human Services. 
‘‘(11) SERVICE AREA.—The term service area 
means the unique geographic area which the State 
has designated as the area to be served by an eligi-
ble entity. 
‘‘(12) STATE.—The term ‘State’ means any of 
the several States, the District of Columbia, the 
Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, the United 
States Virgin Islands, American Samoa, or the Com-
monwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. 
‘‘SEC. 676. ESTABLISHMENT OF COMMUNITY SERVICES 
BLOCK GRANT PROGRAM. 
‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT OF PROGRAM.—The Secretary 
is authorized to establish a community services block 
grant program and to make grants through the program, 
under sections 677 and 678 to States to support local 
community action program plans carried out by eligible 
entities to ameliorate the conditions that cause poverty in 
the communities served by such entities. 
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‘‘(b) AUTHORITY OF SECRETARY.—The Secretary is 
authorized to carry out other community programs de-
scribed in section 693 of this subtitle. 
‘‘(c) UNIFORM ADMINISTRATIVE REQUIREMENTS; 
COST PRINCIPLES
AND AUDIT REQUIREMENTS.—Not-
withstanding any other provision of the Omnibus Budget 
Reconciliation Act of 1981 (Public Law 97–35), funds au-
thorized to be appropriated under this subtitle shall be 
subject to the Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost 
Principles and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards as 
adopted in regulations promulgated by the Secretary to 
implement the Uniform Administrative Requirements Cost 
Principles and Audit Requirements at part 200, title 2, 
code of Federal Regulations or any corresponding similar 
regulation (part 75 of title 45, Code of Federal Regula-
tions or any corresponding similar regulation), as well as 
all other Federal laws and regulations related to intergov-
ernmental financial transactions and to administration of 
federally funded grants and cooperative agreements be-
tween States and nonprofit organizations, or local govern-
ments, as applicable. 
‘‘SEC. 677. GRANTS TO TERRITORIES. 
‘‘(a) APPORTIONMENT.—The Secretary shall appor-
tion the amount reserved under section 692(c)(1) for each 
fiscal year on the basis of need to eligible jurisdictions, 
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among Guam, American Samoa, the United States Virgin 
Islands, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana 
Islands. 
‘‘(b) GRANTS.—The Secretary shall make a grant to 
each eligible jurisdiction to which subsection (a) applies 
for the amount apportioned under subsection (a). 
‘‘SEC. 678. ALLOTMENTS AND GRANTS TO STATES. 
‘‘(a) ALLOTMENTS IN GENERAL.—From the amount 
appropriated under section 692(a) for each fiscal year and 
remaining after the Secretary makes the reservations re-
quired by section 692(c), the Secretary shall allot to each 
eligible State (subject to section 679), an amount that 
bears the same ratio to such remaining amount as the 
amount received by the State for fiscal year 1981 under 
section 221 of the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964 bore 
to the total amount received by all States for fiscal year 
1981 under such section, except as provided in subsection 
(b). 
‘‘(b) MINIMUM ALLOTMENTS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall allot to 
each State not less than 1⁄2 of 1 percent of the 
amount appropriated under section 692(a) for such 
fiscal year except as provided in section 692(c)(1). 
‘‘(2) 
YEARS
WITH
GREATER
AVAILABLE 
FUNDS.—If the amount appropriated under section 
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692(a) for a fiscal year and remaining after the Sec-
retary makes the reservations required by section 
692(b) exceeds $850,000,000, no State shall receive 
under this section less than 3⁄4 of 1 percent of the 
remaining amount. 
‘‘(c) GRANTS AND PAYMENTS.—Subject to section 
679, the Secretary shall make grants to eligible States for 
the allotments described in subsections (a) and (b). The 
Secretary shall make payments for the grants in accord-
ance with section 6503(a) of title 31, United States Code. 
‘‘(d) DEFINITION.—In this section, the term ‘State’ 
does not include Guam, American Samoa, the United 
States Virgin Islands, and the Commonwealth of the 
Northern Mariana Islands. 
‘‘SEC. 679. PAYMENTS TO INDIAN TRIBES. 
‘‘(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
‘‘(1) INDIAN.—The term ‘Indian’ means a 
member of an Indian tribe or of a tribal organiza-
tion. 
‘‘(2) INDIAN TRIBE; TRIBAL ORGANIZATION.— 
The terms ‘Indian tribe’ and ‘tribal organization’ 
mean a tribe, band, or other organized group recog-
nized in the State in which the tribe, band, or group 
resides, or considered by the Secretary of the Inte-
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