I 
114TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2408 
To establish in the Administration for Children and Families of the Depart-
ment of Health and Human Services the Federal Interagency Working 
Group on Reducing Child Poverty to develop a national strategy to 
eliminate child poverty in the United States, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 19, 2015 
Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois (for himself, Mr. CONNOLLY, Ms. LEE, and 
Mr. CUMMINGS) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform 
A BILL 
To establish in the Administration for Children and Families 
of the Department of Health and Human Services the 
Federal Interagency Working Group on Reducing Child 
Poverty to develop a national strategy to eliminate child 
poverty in the United States, and for other purposes. 
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 ‘‘Child Poverty Reduc-
tion Act of 2015’’. 
SEC. 2. TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
Sec. 1. Short title. 
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Sec. 2. Table of contents. 
TITLE I—FEDERAL INTERAGENCY WORKING GROUP ON 
REDUCING CHILD POVERTY 
Sec. 101. Establishment of Working Group. 
Sec. 102. National plan to reduce child poverty. 
Sec. 103. Other duties. 
Sec. 104. Membership. 
Sec. 105. Director and staff. 
Sec. 106. Reporting requirements. 
TITLE II—WORKSHOPS BY NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES 
Sec. 201. Requirement to enter into agreement with National Academy of 
Sciences. 
Sec. 202. Workshop topics. 
Sec. 203. Reporting requirement. 
Sec. 204. Authorization of appropriations. 
TITLE III—DEFINITIONS 
Sec. 301. Definitions. 
TITLE 
I—FEDERAL 
INTER-
AGENCY WORKING GROUP ON 
REDUCING CHILD POVERTY 
SEC. 101. ESTABLISHMENT OF WORKING GROUP. 
There is established in the Administration for Chil-
dren and Families of the Department of Health and 
Human Services a group which shall be known as the Fed-
eral Interagency Working Group on Reducing Child Pov-
erty (in this Act referred to as the ‘‘Working Group’’). 
SEC. 102. NATIONAL PLAN TO REDUCE CHILD POVERTY. 
(a) PRIMARY GOAL.— 
(1) DEVELOPMENT OF NATIONAL PLAN.—The 
primary goal of the Working Group is to develop a 
national plan— 
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(A) to reduce, within 10 years after the 
date on which funding is made available to 
carry out this Act— 
(i) the number of children living in 
poverty in the United States to half of the 
number of such children as reported in the 
report of the United States Census Bureau 
on Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance 
Coverage in the United States: 2013 
(issued in September 2014); and 
(ii) the number of children living in 
extreme poverty in the United States to 
zero; and 
(B) to reduce, within 20 years after the 
date on which funds are made available to carry 
out this Act, the number of children living in 
poverty in the United States to zero. 
(2) CONSULTATION WITH NATIONAL ACADEMY 
OF
SCIENCES.—In developing the national plan 
under paragraph (1), the Working Group shall con-
sider all recommendations, research papers, and re-
ports published by the National Academy of Sciences 
as a result of the workshops conducted pursuant to 
title II. 
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(3) DEADLINE.—Not later than 180 days after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Working 
Group shall make substantial progress toward the 
development of the national plan. 
(b) ADDITIONAL GOALS.—The national plan under 
subsection (a) shall include recommendations for achieving 
the following goals: 
(1) Understanding the root causes of child pov-
erty, including persistent intergenerational poverty, 
taking into account social, economic, and cultural 
factors. 
(2) Improving the accessibility of anti-poverty 
programs and increasing the rate of enrollment in 
such programs among eligible children and families 
by reducing the complexity and difficulty of enrolling 
in such programs. 
(3) Eliminating disparate rates of child poverty 
based on race, ethnicity, gender, and age. 
(4) Improving the ability of individuals living in 
poverty, low-income individuals, and unemployed in-
dividuals to access quality jobs that help children 
and their families rise above poverty. 
(5) Connecting low-income children, discon-
nected youth, and their families to education, job 
training, work, and their communities. 
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(6) Shifting the measures and policies of Fed-
eral anti-poverty programs from the goal of helping 
individuals and families living in poverty to achieve 
freedom from deprivation toward the goal of helping 
such individuals and families rise above poverty and 
achieve long-term economic stability. 
(c) METHODS.—In developing the national plan 
under subsection (a), the Working Group shall employ 
methods for achieving the goals described in subsections 
(a) and (b) that include— 
(1) entering into an agreement with the Na-
tional Academy of Sciences for a workshop series on 
the economic and social costs of child poverty, as de-
scribed in title II; 
(2) studying the effect of child poverty on the 
health and welfare of children, including the access 
of children living in poverty to health care, housing, 
proper nutrition, and education; 
(3) measuring the effect of child poverty on the 
ability of individuals to achieve economic stability, 
including such effect on educational attainment, 
rates of incarceration, lifetime earnings, access to 
healthcare, and access to housing; 
(4) updating and applying improved measures 
of poverty that can meaningfully account for other 
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aspects relating to the measure of poverty, such as 
the Supplemental Poverty Measure used by the 
United States Census Bureau; and 
(5) using and applying fact-based measures to 
evaluate the long-term effectiveness of anti-poverty 
programs, taking into account the long-term savings 
and value to the Federal Government and to State, 
local, and tribal governments of practices and poli-
cies designed to prevent poverty. 
SEC. 103. OTHER DUTIES. 
In addition to developing the national plan under sec-
tion 102(a), the Working Group shall— 
(1) monitor, in consultation with the Domestic 
Policy Council and the National Economic Council, 
all Federal activities, programs, and services related 
to child welfare and child poverty; 
(2) establish guidelines, policies, goals, and di-
rectives related to the achievement of the goals of 
the national plan, in consultation with non-govern-
mental entities providing social services to low-in-
come children and families, advocacy groups that di-
rectly represent low-income children and families, 
policy experts, and officials of State, local, and tribal 
governments who administer or direct policy for 
anti-poverty programs; 
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(3) advise all relevant Federal agencies regard-
ing how to effectively administer and coordinate pro-
grams, activities, and services related to child wel-
fare and child poverty and how to resolve any dis-
putes that arise between or among such agencies as 
a result of such administration or coordination; 
(4) provide recommendations to the Congress 
regarding how to ensure that Federal agencies ad-
ministering programs, activities, and services related 
to child welfare and child poverty have adequate re-
sources to increase public awareness of such pro-
grams, activities, and services and how to maximize 
enrollment of eligible individuals; 
(5) identify methods for improving communica-
tion and collaboration among and between State and 
Federal governmental entities regarding the imple-
mentation of State programs related to child welfare 
and child poverty, such as State programs funded 
under part A of title IV of the Social Security Act 
(relating to block grants to States for temporary as-
sistance for needy families), and submit rec-
ommendations regarding such methods to relevant 
Federal agencies and congressional committees; and 
(6) hold hearings in different geographic re-
gions of the United States to collect information and 
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feedback from the public regarding personal experi-
ences related to child poverty and anti-poverty pro-
grams, and make such information and feedback 
publicly available. 
SEC. 104. MEMBERSHIP. 
(a) NUMBER OF MEMBERS.—The Working Group 
shall be composed of no less than 6 members. 
(b) EXECUTIVE PAY RATE.—Each member shall be 
an official of an Executive Department who occupies a po-
sition for which the rate of pay is equal to or greater than 
the rate of pay for level IV of the Executive Schedule 
under section 5313 of title 5, United States Code. 
(c) REQUIRED PARTICIPATION OF CERTAIN EXECU-
TIVE DEPARTMENTS.—The Working Group shall include 
at least one member who is an official of each of the fol-
lowing Executive departments: 
(1) The Department of Justice. 
(2) The Department of Agriculture. 
(3) The Department of Labor. 
(4) The Department of Health and Human 
Services. 
(5) The Department of Housing and Urban De-
velopment. 
(6) The Department of Education. 
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(d) APPOINTMENT.—Each member shall be ap-
pointed by the head of the Executive department that em-
ploys such member. 
(e) OBTAINING OFFICIAL DATA.—On request of the 
Chairperson, any head of a Federal agency shall furnish 
directly to the Working Group any information necessary 
to enable the Working Group to carry out this Act. 
(f) TERMS.—Each member shall be appointed for the 
life of the Working Group. 
(g) VACANCIES.—A vacancy in the Commission shall 
be filled in the manner in which the original appointment 
was made. 
(h) QUORUM.—A majority of members shall con-
stitute a quorum. 
(i) CHAIRPERSON.—The Chairperson of the Working 
Group shall be appointed by the Secretary of Health and 
Human Services. 
(j) MEETINGS.— 
(1) INITIAL MEETING PERIOD.—The Working 
Group shall meet on a monthly basis during the 
180-day period beginning with the date on which 
funds are made available to carry out this Act. 
(2) SUBSEQUENT MEETINGS.—After such 180- 
day period, the Working Group shall meet not less 
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than once every 6 months and at the call of the 
Chairperson or a majority of members. 
SEC. 105. DIRECTOR AND STAFF. 
(a) DIRECTOR.—The Working Group shall have a Di-
rector who shall be appointed by the Chairperson. 
(b) STAFF.—The Director may appoint and fix the 
pay of additional personnel as the Director considers ap-
propriate. 
(c) DUTIES.—The duties of the Director and staff 
shall be to achieve the goals and carry out the duties of 
the Working Group. 
SEC. 106. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS. 
(a) ANNUAL REPORT.—Not later than September 30, 
2016, and annually thereafter, the Chairperson shall sub-
mit to the Congress a report describing the activities, 
projects, and plans of the Federal Government to carry 
out the goals of the Working Group, which shall include— 
(1) an accounting of— 
(A) any increase in efficiency in the deliv-
ery of Federal, State, local, and tribal social 
services and benefits related to child welfare 
and child poverty; 
(B) any reduction in the number of chil-
dren living in poverty; 
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(C) any reduction in the demand for such 
social services and benefits for which children 
living in poverty and near poverty are eligible; 
and 
(D) any savings to the Federal Govern-
ment as a result of such increases or reduc-
tions; 
(2) an accounting of any increase in the na-
tional rate of employment due to the efforts of the 
Working Group; 
(3) a summary of the efforts of each State to 
reduce child poverty within such State, including the 
administration of State programs funded under part 
A of title IV of the Social Security Act (relating to 
block grants to States for temporary assistance for 
needy families); and 
(4) legislative language and recommendations 
regarding reducing child poverty and achieving the 
other goals and duties of the Working Group. 
(b) PUBLIC REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.— 
(1) ANNUAL REPORT AVAILABLE TO PUBLIC.— 
A version of the annual report required by sub-
section (a) shall be made publicly available. 
(2) ANNUAL
UPDATE
FROM
FEDERAL
AGEN-
CIES.—The head of each relevant Federal agency 
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shall post on the public Internet Web site of such 
agency an annual summary of any plans, activities, 
and results of the agency related to the goals and 
duties of the Working Group. 
TITLE II—WORKSHOPS BY NA-
TIONAL 
ACADEMY 
OF 
SCIENCES 
SEC. 201. REQUIREMENT TO ENTER INTO AGREEMENT 
WITH NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 90 days after the 
date on which funds are made available to carry out this 
Act, the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall 
enter into an agreement with the National Academy of 
Sciences for 2 public workshops to provide the Working 
Group with information to assist in the development of 
the national plan under section 102(a). 
(b) STEERING COMMITTEE.—The agreement under 
subsection (a) shall include the creation of a steering com-
mittee to plan and conduct such workshops. 
(c) EXPERTS.—The agreement under subsection (a) 
shall include the commission of experts to prepare re-
search papers that summarize and critique literature on 
the economic and social costs of child poverty. 
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SEC. 202. WORKSHOP TOPICS. 
The purpose of the workshops required by section 
201(a) shall be to collect information and input from the 
public on the economic and social costs of child poverty, 
addressing topics that include— 
(1) the macroeconomic costs of child poverty, 
including the effects of child poverty on productivity 
and economic output; 
(2) the health-related costs of child poverty, in-
cluding the costs incurred by the Federal Govern-
ment and State, local, and tribal governments due to 
child illnesses, other child medical problems, and 
other child health-related expenditures; 
(3) the effect of child poverty on crime rates; 
(4) the short-term and long-term effects of 
child poverty on the Federal budget, including out-
lays for anti-poverty programs; 
(5) poverty metrics such as income poverty, 
food insecurity, and other measures of deprivation, 
and the role of such metrics in assessing the effects 
of poverty and the performance of anti-poverty pro-
grams; 
(6) the effect of child poverty on certain popu-
lation groups, including immigrants, single parent 
families, individuals who have attained the age of 16 
but have not attained the age of 25 with large stu-
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dent loans, individuals living in areas of con-
centrated poverty, and individuals living on Indian 
reservations; and 
(7) the effect of child poverty on individuals 
and families living in extreme poverty, as compared 
with such effect on individuals and families living in 
poverty or near poverty. 
SEC. 203. REPORTING REQUIREMENT. 
(a) RESEARCH PAPERS.—The agreement under sec-
tion 201(a) shall include the publication of the research 
papers required under such section on the public Web site 
of the National Academy of Sciences. 
(b) WORKSHOP SUMMARY.—The agreement under 
section 201(a) shall include the publication of a summary 
of each workshop required under such section on the pub-
lic Web site of the National Academy of Sciences. 
SEC. 204. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
There is authorized to be appropriated $1,000,000 to 
carry out this title. 
TITLE III—DEFINITIONS 
SEC. 301. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) ANTI-POVERTY PROGRAM.—The term ‘‘anti- 
poverty program’’ means a program or institution 
with the primary goal of lifting children or families 
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out of poverty and improving economic opportunities 
for children or families that operates in whole or in 
part using Federal, State, local, or tribal govern-
ment funds. 
(2) CHILD.—The term ‘‘child’’ means an indi-
vidual who has not attained the age of 18. 
(3) DEPRIVATION.—The term ‘‘deprivation’’ 
means, with respect to an individual, that such indi-
vidual lacks adequate nutrition, health care, housing, 
or other resources to provide for basic human needs. 
(4) DISCONNECTED
YOUTH.—The term ‘‘dis-
connected youth’’ means individuals who have at-
tained the age of 16 but have not attained the age 
of 25 who are unemployed and not enrolled in 
school. 
(5) ECONOMIC
STABILITY.—The term ‘‘eco-
nomic stability’’ means, with respect to an individual 
or family, that such individual or family has access 
to the means and support necessary to effectively 
cope with adverse or costly life events and to effec-
tively recover from the consequences of such events 
while maintaining a decent standard of living. 
(6) EXTREME POVERTY.—The term ‘‘extreme 
poverty’’ means, with respect to an individual or 
family, that such individual or family has a total an-
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nual income that is less than the amount that is 50 
percent of the official poverty threshold for such in-
dividual or family, as provided in the report of the 
United States Census Bureau on Income, Poverty, 
and Health Insurance Coverage in the United 
States: 2013 (issued in September 2014). 
(7) FEDERAL
AGENCY.—The term ‘‘Federal 
agency’’ means an Executive department, a Govern-
ment corporation, and an independent establish-
ment. 
(8) NEAR POVERTY.—The term ‘‘near poverty’’ 
means, with respect to an individual or family, that 
such individual or family has a total annual income 
that is less than the amount that is 200 percent of 
the official poverty threshold for such individual or 
family, as provided in the report of the United 
States Census Bureau on Income, Poverty, and 
Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 
2013 (issued in September 2014). 
(9) POVERTY.—The term ‘‘poverty’’ means, 
with respect to an individual or family, that such in-
dividual or family has a total annual income that is 
less than the amount that is the official poverty 
threshold for such individual or family, as provided 
in the report of the United States Census Bureau on 
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