I 
109TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 6307 
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 
SEPTEMBER 29, 2006 
Mr. TIERNEY (for himself, Mr. CAPUANO, Mr. CONYERS, Mr. DELAHUNT, Mr. 
FRANK of Massachusetts, Mr. GRIJALVA, Mr. HASTINGS of Florida, Ms. 
JACKSON-LEE of Texas, Mr. KUCINICH, Mr. MARKEY, Mr. MCGOVERN, 
Mr. MEEHAN, Mr. MEEKS of New York, Ms. MILLENDER-MCDONALD, 
Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California, Mr. NADLER, Mr. OLVER, Mr. 
OWENS, 
Mr. 
PALLONE, 
Mr. 
RANGEL, 
Mr. 
ROTHMAN, 
Mr. 
RUPPERSBERGER, 
Mr. 
SERRANO, 
Mr. 
STARK, 
Ms. 
WASSERMAN 
SCHULTZ, Mr. WEXLER, Ms. WOOLSEY, and Mr. YOUNG of Alaska) in-
troduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Edu-
cation and the Workforce, and in addition to the Committees on Ways 
and Means, Financial Services, and Agriculture, for a period to be subse-
quently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such 
provisions as fall within the jurisdiction 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. 
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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 Fair-
ness Act of 2006’’. 
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 12 months after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Commissioner of Labor 
Statistics shall transmit to the Congress and the Comp-
troller General a report that contains the methodology de-
veloped 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— 
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(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 a determination 
of any increases in benefits provided under all Federal 
programs that provide vouchers, coupons, cash grants, or 
cash reimbursements to a beneficiary based on the bene-
ficiary’s income. 
(c) REPORT.—Not later than 1 year 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. 
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(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. 
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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 2007. 
Æ 
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