I 
113TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 3854 
To amend the Community Services Block Grant Act to reauthorize and 
modernize the Act. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JANUARY 13, 2014 
Mr. FITZPATRICK (for himself, Ms. MCCOLLUM, and Mr. COSTA) introduced 
the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 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 2014’’. 
SEC. 2. REAUTHORIZATION. 
The Community Services Block Grant Act (42 U.S.C. 
8 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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a manner responsive to local needs and condi-
tions; 
‘‘(B) organizing and coordinating multiple 
services and resources so as to have a measur-
able and significant impact on the causes of 
poverty in the community and to help families 
and individuals find and utilize opportunities to 
become economically secure; 
‘‘(C) using innovative community-based ap-
proaches to attack the causes and effects of 
poverty and to build community social and eco-
nomic assets; 
‘‘(D) empowering residents to respond to 
the unique problems and needs within their 
communities through civic participation and 
partnerships; and 
‘‘(E) broadening the sources and number 
of resources directed to the elimination of pov-
erty, so as to promote statewide, regional, and 
local partnerships that— 
‘‘(i) achieve the purposes of this sub-
title; and 
‘‘(ii) include— 
‘‘(I) private, religious, charitable, 
and neighborhood-based organizations; 
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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) by ensuring the maximum feasible 
participation 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 (other than an 
organization described in section 509(a)(4) of 
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the Internal Revenue Code of 1986) and that 
delivers 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 subtitle 
‘‘(i) a grantee; 
‘‘(ii) an eligible entity; or 
‘‘(iii) an organization organized by 
multiple grantees or eligible entities, that 
is governed by a Board of Directors of 
which at least 3⁄4 of the members— 
‘‘(I) are employees or other des-
ignees of such a grantee or eligible en-
tity; and 
‘‘(II) are selected by an open and 
democratic process by the members of 
the organization. 
‘‘(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-
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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 title 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 
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-
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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 2013). 
‘‘(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 
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 
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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 
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) and (D), the poverty line, as defined 
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in subparagraph (A), shall be used as a cri-
terion of eligibility in the community services 
block grant program established under this sub-
title. 
‘‘(C) WAIVERS FOR STATE USE OF HIGHER 
ELIGIBILITY
LEVEL.—Whenever a community 
action plan provides that a program, project, or 
service funded under this subtitle requires use 
of a higher eligibility standard than the stand-
ard otherwise applicable under this paragraph, 
for the purpose of ensuring (for the purposes of 
this subtitle) coordination of activities carried 
out under with other programs or activities of 
eligible entities that are delivered to low-income 
individuals, the State shall, as part of the an-
nual application described in Section 680, apply 
to the Secretary for a waiver that allows use of 
that standard with respect to that program, 
project, or service, and the Secretary may ap-
prove the waiver pursuant to the procedures in 
Section 680. 
‘‘(D) 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-
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igible to participate as long as the participant 
is successfully progressing towards achievement 
of the goals of the program, project, or service, 
regardless of the participant″s continuing eligi-
bility under subparagraphs (A) through (C). 
‘‘(9) PRIVATE, NONPROFIT
ORGANIZATION.— 
The term ‘private nonprofit organization’ includes a 
religious organization to which the provisions of sec-
tion 690 shall apply. 
‘‘(10) PUBLIC
CHARITY.—The term ‘public 
charity’ means a domestic or foreign organization 
that is— 
‘‘(A) described in section 501(c)(3) of the 
Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and exempt 
from taxation under section 501(a) of such 
Code; and 
‘‘(B) described in paragraph (1), (2), (3), 
or (4) of section 509(a) of the Internal Revenue 
Code of 1986. 
‘‘(11) 
SECRETARY.—The 
term 
‘Secretary’ 
means the Secretary of Health and Human Services. 
‘‘(12) 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. 
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‘‘(13) 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) .—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 enti-
ties. 
‘‘(b) The Secretary is authorized to carry out other 
community programs described in Section 693 of this title. 
‘‘(c) UNIFORM ADMINISTRATIVE REQUIREMENTS.— 
Notwithstanding any other provision of the Omnibus 
Budget Reconciliation Act of 1981 (Public Law 97–35), 
funds appropriated under this subtitle shall be subject to 
the Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants and 
Cooperative Agreements to State, Local, and Tribal Gov-
ernments (part 92 of title 45, Code of Federal Regulations 
or any corresponding similar regulation or ruling) and all 
other Federal laws and regulation related to intergovern-
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mental financial transactions and to administration of fed-
erally funded grants and cooperative agreements between 
States and nonprofit organizations. 
‘‘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, 
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). 
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‘‘(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 
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: 
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‘‘(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-
rior, to be an Indian tribe or an Indian organization 
for any purpose. 
‘‘(b) RESERVATION.— 
‘‘(1) APPLICATION.—Paragraph (2) shall apply 
only if, with respect to any State, the Secretary— 
‘‘(A) receives a request from the governing 
body of an Indian tribe or tribal organization 
within such State that assistance under this 
subtitle be made available directly to such tribe 
or organization; and 
‘‘(B) determines that the members of such 
Indian tribe or tribal organization would be bet-
ter served by means of grants made directly to 
such tribe or organization to provide benefits 
under this subtitle. 
‘‘(2) AMOUNT.—The Secretary shall reserve 
from amounts allotted to a State under section 678 
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for a fiscal year, not less than the amount that bears 
the same ratio to the State allotment for the fiscal 
year as the population of all eligible Indians for 
whom a determination has been made under para-
graph (1)(B) bears to the population of all individ-
uals eligible for assistance through a grant made 
under section 678 to such State. 
‘‘(c) AWARDS.—The amount reserved by the Sec-
retary on the basis of a determination made under sub-
section (b)(1)(B) shall be made available by grant to the 
Indian tribe or tribal organization serving the Indians for 
whom the determination has been made under subsection 
(b)(1)(B). 
‘‘(d) PLAN.—In order for an Indian tribe or tribal 
organization to be eligible for a grant award for a fiscal 
year under this section, the tribe or organization shall sub-
mit to the Secretary a plan for such fiscal year that meets 
such criteria as the Secretary may prescribe by regulation. 
‘‘(e) ALTERNATIVE PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENT 
SYSTEM.—The Secretary may promulgate alternative re-
quirements for tribal implementation of the requirements 
of section 680(c). 
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