I 
108TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3640
To require the Commissioner of Labor Statistics to develop a methodology 
for measuring the cost of living in each State, and to require the 
Comptroller General to determine how certain Federal benefits would 
be increased if the determination of those benefits were based on that 
methodology. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
NOVEMBER 21, 2003
Mr. TIERNEY (for himself, Mr. MEEKS of New York, Mr. GEORGE MILLER 
of California, Mr. ACEVEDO-VILA´, Mr. OLVER, Ms. MILLENDER-MCDON-
ALD, Mr. DELAHUNT, Mr. MCGOVERN, Mr. OWENS, Mr. FRANK of Mas-
sachusetts, and Ms. WOOLSEY) introduced the following bill; which was 
referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce, and in addi-
tion to the Committees on Ways and Means, Financial Services, and 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 require the Commissioner of Labor Statistics to develop 
a methodology for measuring the cost of living in each 
State, and to require the Comptroller General to deter-
mine how certain Federal benefits would be increased 
if the determination of those benefits were based on 
that methodology.
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 ‘‘Cost of Living Meas-
urement and Index Act of 2003’’. 
SEC. 2. COST OF LIVING METHODOLOGY. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Commissioner of Labor Sta-
tistics shall develop a methodology for determining the 
cost of living in each State, which accounts for the costs 
of housing, goods, and services. 
(b) ELEMENTS
OF METHODOLOGY.—The method-
ology developed under this section shall include indices for 
measuring the cost of living in a State. 
(c) REPORT.—Not later than 6 months after the date 
of enactment of this Act, the Commissioner of Labor Sta-
tistics shall transmit to the Congress and the Comptroller 
General a report that contains the methodology developed 
under this section. 
SEC. 3. STUDY BY COMPTROLLER GENERAL. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Comptroller General shall 
conduct a study in which the methodology developed under 
section 2 is applied to determine how Federal benefits pro-
vided to beneficiaries in each State under the programs 
described in subsection (b) would be distributed if—
(1) the cost of living in each State, as deter-
mined under the methodology, were a factor in the 
determination of such benefits; and
(2) the methodology were applied so that Fed-
eral benefits vary only to the extent that such deter-
mination would result in an increase of benefits to 
beneficiaries in a State. 
(b) INCLUDED FEDERAL BENEFIT PROGRAMS.—The 
study under subsection (a) shall include determination of 
increases in benefits provided under the following: 
(1) The Elementary and Secondary Education 
Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6301 et seq.). 
(2) Section 32 of the Internal Revenue Code of 
1986, relating to the earned income tax credit. 
(3) All Federal housing assistance programs. 
(4) The Temporary Assistance to Needy Fami-
lies Program. 
(5) The Food Stamp Program. 
(6) All other Federal nutrition assistance pro-
grams, but only to the extent that they provide 
vouchers, coupons, cash grants, or cash reimburse-
ments. 
(c) REPORT.—Not later than 6 months after the date 
of receipt of the report from the Commissioner of Labor 
Statistics under section 2(c), the Comptroller General 
shall transmit a report to the Congress that contains the 
following:
(1) The results of the study conducted under 
subsection (a). 
(2) A description of the increases in benefits de-
termined under subsection (b). 
(3) A description of any additional data that 
should be obtained and considered to confirm or im-
prove those results and determinations. 
(4) Recommendations for any changes in the 
methodology developed under section 2 that would 
ensure more accurate determination of the cost of 
living in a State, including any appropriate changes 
in the indices that should be used to measure such 
cost. 
(5) An estimate of the costs to the Federal 
Government of using the methodology developed 
under section 2 to determine Federal benefits under 
the programs referred to in subsection (b) of this 
section, including any change in such costs that 
would result from implementing the recommenda-
tions made under paragraph (4) of this subsection. 
(6) Recommendations for any changes in law 
that are necessary or appropriate to ensure that the 
cost of living in a State, as determined under the 
methodology developed in section 2, is a factor in 
the determination of Federal benefits provided to
beneficiaries in that State under the programs de-
scribed in subsection (b), but only to the extent that 
such determination would result in an increase of 
benefits to beneficiaries in a State. 
SEC. 4. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
For the purpose of carrying out this Act, there are 
authorized to be appropriated to the Commissioner of 
Labor Statistics $1,000,000 for fiscal year 2004.
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