I 
111TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 5891 
To direct the Bureau of the Census to publish improved annual measures 
of family income for use in more accurately determining the extent 
of poverty in the United States and the anti-poverty effectiveness of 
means-tested benefit and tax programs, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 28, 2010 
Mr. LINDER introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Over-
sight and Government Reform, for a period to be subsequently deter-
mined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions 
as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To direct the Bureau of the Census to publish improved 
annual measures of family income for use in more accu-
rately determining the extent of poverty in the United 
States and the anti-poverty effectiveness of means-tested 
benefit and tax programs, 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 ‘‘Poverty Measurement 
Improvement Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. IMPROVED MEASURES OF INCOME AND POVERTY. 
Part A of title XI of the Social Security Act (42 
U.S.C. 1301—1320b–21) is amended by adding at the 
end the following: 
‘‘SEC. 1150A. IMPROVED MEASURES OF INCOME AND POV-
ERTY. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—In order to more accurately de-
termine the extent of poverty in the United States, and 
the anti-poverty effectiveness of means-tested benefit and 
tax programs, the Bureau of the Census shall publish an-
nually statistics on levels of family income in the United 
States. Such statistics shall take into account, at a min-
imum, the full benefits poverty income measure and the 
partial benefits poverty income measure, as follows: 
‘‘(b) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
‘‘(1) FULL BENEFITS POVERTY INCOME MEAS-
URE.—The term ‘full benefits poverty income meas-
ure’ means the sum of the partial benefits poverty 
income measure and other noncash benefits (includ-
ing supplemental nutrition assistance benefits, hous-
ing subsidies, the actuarial value of health insurance 
coverage, and any other State or Federal means- 
tested benefits) attributable to the members of the 
household involved, including non-related members. 
In calculating the sum, the Bureau of the Census 
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shall apply its current disposable income method-
ology, which includes— 
‘‘(A) earnings, unemployment compensa-
tion under Federal or State law, worker’s com-
pensation, social security benefits, supplemental 
security income benefits, public assistance (in-
cluding TANF or other welfare benefits), vet-
erans’ payments, survivor benefits, disability 
benefits, retirement income, interest, dividends, 
rent, other income, alimony, child support, edu-
cation assistance, capital gains, the market 
value of supplemental nutrition assistance bene-
fits, the market value of school lunch program 
benefits, housing subsidies, and estimated re-
turn to home equity; 
‘‘(B) the net Federal tax liability or re-
fund, after taking account of any refundable 
credits such as the earned income credit or the 
child tax credit; and 
‘‘(C) capital losses, State income tax 
liablity after State refundable credits, Federal 
Insurance Contributions Act taxes, retirement 
contributions (including Federal retirement 
payroll contributions), property taxes, and esti-
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