I 
115TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 5489 
To institute reforms to the program of block grants to States for temporary 
assistance for needy families and the supplemental nutrition assistance 
program. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
APRIL 12, 2018 
Mr. ESTES of Kansas introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Ag-
riculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in 
each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdic-
tion of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To institute reforms to the program of block grants to States 
for temporary assistance for needy families and the sup-
plemental nutrition assistance program. 
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 ‘‘Hope Opportunity and 
Prosperity for Everyone Act’’ or the ‘‘Hope Act’’. 
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TITLE I—TANF PROGRAM 
REFORMS 
SEC. 101. 36-MONTH LIFETIME LIMIT ON ASSISTANCE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 408(a)(7) of the Social 
Security Act (42 U.S.C. 608(a)(7)) is amended— 
(1) in the paragraph heading, by striking ‘‘5’’ 
and inserting ‘‘3’’; 
(2) in subparagraph (A), by striking ‘‘60’’ and 
inserting ‘‘36’’; and 
(3) by striking subparagraph (C) and inserting 
the following: 
‘‘(C) AUTHORITY TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE 
FOR 1 ADDITIONAL YEAR IN CERTAIN HARD-
SHIP CASES.—The State may provide assistance 
to an individual who is a member of a family 
to whom the provision of assistance under the 
State program funded under this part is prohib-
ited by subparagraph (A), for not more than 12 
months after the last month for which the fam-
ily would otherwise be eligible for the assist-
ance, if the Secretary determines that the indi-
vidual— 
‘‘(i) is the primary caretaker of a dis-
abled family member; 
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‘‘(ii) has a disability which precludes 
long-term employment or requires substan-
tial rehabilitation; or 
‘‘(iii) is experiencing a hardship.’’. 
SEC. 102. STATES REQUIRED TO EXEMPT PARENTS WITH 
CERTAIN CHILDREN FROM WORK REQUIRE-
MENTS. 
(a) REQUIREMENT.—Section 407(b)(5) of the Social 
Security Act (42 U.S.C. 607(b)(5)) is amended to read 
as follows: 
‘‘(5) EXEMPTION
FROM
WORK
REQUIREMENT 
FOR
PARENTS
OF
CERTAIN
CHILDREN.—A State 
shall not require a parent of a child to participate 
in a work activity under the State program funded 
under this part if— 
‘‘(A) the child has not attained 3 months 
of age; or 
‘‘(B) the child— 
‘‘(i) was born before the end of the 
28th week of gestation; and 
‘‘(ii) is a child with a disability (with-
in the meaning of section 602 of the Indi-
viduals With Disabilities Education Act).’’. 
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(b) PENALTY.—Section 409(a) of such Act (42 
U.S.C. 609(a)) is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(17) FAILURE
TO
EXEMPT
PARENTS
WITH 
CERTAIN CHILDREN FROM WORK REQUIREMENTS.— 
If the Secretary determines that a State to which a 
grant is made under section 403 for a fiscal year 
has failed to comply with section 407(b)(5) for the 
fiscal year, the Secretary may reduce the grant pay-
able to the State under section 403(a)(1) for the im-
mediately succeeding fiscal year by such amount as 
the Secretary finds is necessary to induce the State 
to so comply.’’. 
SEC. 103. ADDITIONAL PROGRAM PURPOSE. 
Section 401(a) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 
601(a)) is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end of paragraph 
(3); 
(2) by striking the period at the end of para-
graph (4) and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(5) prevent and reduce dependency by encour-
aging high school graduation, postsecondary edu-
cation and training and career development through 
research-based programming that includes year- 
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round mentoring and 12-month student follow up 
after high school.’’. 
SEC. 104. STATES REQUIRED TO CONDUCT 90-DAY REVIEW 
OF RECIPIENTS REQUIRED TO BE IN A WORK 
ACTIVITY. 
(a) REQUIREMENT.—Section 408(a) of the Social Se-
curity Act (42 U.S.C. 608(a)) is amended by adding at 
the end the following: 
‘‘(13) REQUIREMENT TO CONDUCT 90-DAY RE-
VIEW OF RECIPIENTS REQUIRED TO BE IN A WORK 
ACTIVITY.—At the end of the 90-day period that be-
gins with the date a recipient of assistance under a 
State program funded under this part is first re-
quired to participate in an activity referred to in sec-
tion 407(d)(4), the State shall conduct a review of 
the participation and determine whether the recipi-
ent is making progress in becoming employable and 
complying with all requirements imposed on the re-
cipient under section 407.’’. 
(b) PENALTY.—Section 409(a) of such Act (42 
U.S.C. 609(a)), as amended by section 102(b) of this Act, 
is amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(18) FAILURE TO CONDUCT 90-DAY REVIEW 
OF RECIPIENTS REQUIRED TO BE IN A WORK ACTIV-
ITY.—If the Secretary determines that a State to 
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which a grant is made under section 403 for a fiscal 
year has failed to comply with section 408(a)(13) for 
the fiscal year, the Secretary may reduce the grant 
payable to the State under section 403(a)(1) for the 
immediately succeeding fiscal year by such amount 
as the Secretary finds is necessary to induce the 
State to so comply.’’. 
SEC. 105. STATE REQUIREMENT AND PROHIBITION RELAT-
ING TO RECIPIENTS WITH DISABILITIES. 
(a) REQUIREMENT; PROHIBITION.—Section 408(a) 
of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 608(a)), as amended 
by section 104(a) of this Act, is amended by adding at 
the end the following: 
‘‘(14) REQUIREMENT AND PROHIBITION RELAT-
ING TO RECIPIENTS WITH DISABILITIES.— 
‘‘(A) REQUIREMENT TO REQUIRE RECIPI-
ENT CLAIMING DISABILITY TO PROVIDE PHYSI-
CIAN STATEMENT OF LIMITATION ON ABILITY 
TO WORK AND EXPECTED DURATION OF LIMI-
TATION.—A State to which a grant is made 
under section 403 for a fiscal year shall require 
a recipient of assistance who claims a disability 
to provide the State with a certification from a 
licensed physician of the limitations on the abil-
ity of the recipient to participate in work activi-
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ties (as defined in section 407) and the ex-
pected duration of the limitations. 
‘‘(B) PROHIBITION ON REQUIRING RECIPI-
ENT
WITH
DISABILITY
TO
PARTICIPATE
IN 
WORK ACTIVITY INCONSISTENT WITH THE DIS-
ABILITY.—A State to which a grant is made 
under section 403 for a fiscal year shall not re-
quire a recipient of assistance under the State 
program funded under this part with a dis-
ability (as defined in section 3 of the Americans 
With Disabilities Act of 1990) to participate in 
a work activity if the disability prevents the re-
cipient from meaningful participation in the ac-
tivity.’’. 
(b) PENALTY.—Section 409(a) of such Act (42 
U.S.C. 609(a)), as amended by sections 102(b) and 
104(b) of this Act, is amended by adding at the end the 
following: 
‘‘(19) FAILURE
TO
COMPLY
WITH
REQUIRE-
MENT OR PROHIBITION RELATING TO RECIPIENTS 
WITH
DISABILITIES.—If the Secretary determines 
that a State to which a grant is made under section 
403 for a fiscal year has failed to comply with sec-
tion 408(a)(14) for the fiscal year, the Secretary 
may reduce the grant payable to the State under 
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section 403(a)(1) for the immediately succeeding fis-
cal year by such amount as the Secretary finds is 
necessary to induce the State to so comply.’’. 
SEC. 106. STATES REQUIRED TO ESTABLISH PROGRESSIVE 
PERIODS OF INELIGIBILITY FOR CASH AS-
SISTANCE FOR NONCOMPLIANCE WITH RE-
QUIREMENTS RELATING TO CHILD SUPPORT. 
Section 408(a)(2) of the Social Security Act (42 
U.S.C. 608(a)(2)) is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘State—’’ and inserting ‘‘State 
shall—’’; and 
(2) by striking subparagraphs (A) and (B) and 
inserting the following: 
‘‘(A) in the case of the first such failure to 
cooperate, deny cash assistance to the indi-
vidual for 3 months; 
‘‘(B) in the case of the second such failure 
to cooperate, deny cash assistance to the indi-
vidual for 6 months; 
‘‘(C) in the case of the third such failure 
to cooperate, deny cash assistance to the indi-
vidual for 12 months; or 
‘‘(D) in the case of any such failure to co-
operate after the third such failure to cooper-
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ate, deny cash assistance to the individual for 
10 years.’’. 
SEC. 107. STATES REQUIRED TO ESTABLISH CRIMINAL PEN-
ALTIES FOR FRAUD AGAINST THE PROGRAM, 
AND PROVIDE ASSISTANCE TO REPRESENTA-
TIVE PAYEE OF CHILD WHOSE PARENT IS 
CONVICTED OF SUCH A FRAUD. 
(a) REQUIREMENTS.—Section 408(a) of the Social 
Security Act (42 U.S.C. 608(a)), as amended by sections 
104(a) and 105(a) of this Act, is amended by adding at 
the end the following: 
‘‘(15) REQUIREMENTS
RELATING
TO
FRAUD 
AGAINST THE STATE PROGRAM.— 
‘‘(A) ESTABLISHMENT OF CRIMINAL PEN-
ALTIES.—A State to which a grant is made 
under section 403 for a fiscal year shall estab-
lish at least the following criminal penalties for 
fraud against the State program funded under 
this part: 
‘‘(i) If the amount involved is less 
than $50, 20 hours of work in community 
service, as directed by a State court. 
‘‘(ii) If the amount involved is more 
than $50 but not more than $500, 40 
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hours of work in community service, as di-
rected by a State court. 
‘‘(iii) If the amount involved is more 
than $500 but not more than $1,500, 60 
hours of work in community service, as di-
rected by a State court. 
‘‘(iv) If the amount involved is more 
than $1,500 but not more than $20,000, 
100 hours of work in community service, 
as directed by a State court. 
‘‘(v) If the amount involved is more 
than $20,000 but not more than $100,000, 
imprisonment for 5 or more years but less 
than 10 years. 
‘‘(vi) If the amount involved is more 
than $100,000, imprisonment for 10 years 
or more but less than 25 years. 
‘‘(B) PROVISION OF ASSISTANCE TO REP-
RESENTATIVE PAYEE OF CHILD WHOSE PARENT 
IS CONVICTED OF FRAUD.—A State to which a 
grant is made under section 403 for a fiscal 
year shall provide the assistance that would 
otherwise be provided to a family that includes 
a parent who has been convicted of committing 
a fraud against the State program funded 
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