Lifting American Children From Poverty Act
Bill: H.R.9323 | Sponsor: Rep. Velazquez, Nydia M. (D-NY)
Policy area: Social Welfare

Summary:
Lifting American Children From Poverty Act
This bill establishes a temporary interagency task force to develop a strategic plan to reduce child poverty, particularly in states that experience higher than average poverty rates. Members of the task force include representatives from relevant federal agencies, state and local governments, advocacy organizations, the private sector, and other experts.

To establish a task force on child and family economic security and 
                     stability for economic growth.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Lifting American Children From 
Poverty Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) According to the United States Census Bureau, poverty 
        rates for children under the age of 18 have increased to 16.1 
        percent in 2020, from 14.4 percent in 2019. The increase means 
        that now 11,600,000 children live in poverty, as opposed to 
        10,000,000 in 2019.
            (2) Data from the Children's Defense Fund show that child 
        poverty is an issue that is concentrated in the American south, 
        with statistics showing that Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, 
        Mississippi, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, 
        Texas, and West Virginia have over a quarter of their child 
        population living in poverty.
            (3) A 2018 Social Work Research report estimated that the 
        annual economic costs of child poverty was $36,000,000,000 to 
        $177,000,000,000, demonstrating how child poverty stalls 
        economic productivity.
            (4) Recent data from the Census Bureau Current Population 
        Survey shows that child poverty increased sharply during the 
        COVID-19 pandemic among Black and Latino families. More 
        specifically, child poverty rose by 4.2 percent in Latino 
        families and 2.8 percent in Black families.
            (5) A report from the Urban Institute demonstrates that 
        poverty is closely associated with a lack of educational 
        achievement. For instance, only 64 percent of persistently poor 
        children graduate from high school.
            (6) The problem of child poverty also acutely affects 
        children of color, with 1 in 5 living in poverty. Another 
        statistic from the Children's Defense Fund (2019) shows that 71 
        percent of children living in poverty were children of color. 
        Children of color are also 2.5 times more likely to live in 
        poverty than their White counterparts.
            (7) The Census Bureau Current Population Survey also shows 
        that COVID-19 erased recent gains in the United States toward 
        combating child poverty. In September 2020, child poverty rates 
        were at its lowest since 1973.
            (8) 3.4 percent of families reported not having enough to 
        eat prepandemic, but during the pandemic that number rose to 12 
        percent according to Center on Budget and Policy Priorities 
        analysis. Among households with children, that number was 16 
        percent.
            (9) Data published by the National Public Radio show that 
        the child tax credit cut monthly child poverty rates by 30 
        percent and kept 3,700,000 children out of poverty. In 
        addition, 91 percent of low-income families spent the tax 
        credit on basic needs, such as food. The monthly payments cut 
        food insufficiency by 25 percent.

SEC. 3. PURPOSE.

    The purpose of this Act is to establish an interagency task force 
that would create a strategic and comprehensive plan to reduce child 
poverty, particularly in States with higher poverty rates than the 
national average of 21 percent, by--
            (1) analyzing the state of child and intergenerational 
        poverty and its causes;
            (2) creating an inventory of all available Federal programs 
        aimed at reducing child poverty; and
            (3) making recommendations for improving the effectiveness 
        and efficiency of Federal programs that reduce child poverty.

SEC. 4. INTERAGENCY TASK FORCE ON CHILD POVERTY.

    (a) Establishment.--Not later than 90 days after the enactment of 
this Act, the Secretary of Labor, in cooperation with the Secretary of 
Housing and Urban Development, and Secretary of Health and Human 
Services shall convene a permanent task force on child and family 
economic security and stability for economic growth (in this Act 
referred to as the ``Task Force'').
    (b) Permanent Membership.--The Task Force shall be composed of the 
following officials (or their designees):
            (1) The Secretary of Labor, who shall serve as a co-chair 
        of the Task Force.
            (2) The Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, who 
        shall serve as a co-chair of the Task Force.
            (3) The Secretary of Health and Human Services, who shall 
        serve as a co-chair of the Task Force.
            (4) The Secretary of the Department of Agriculture.
            (5) The Secretary of the Department of Commerce.
            (6) The Secretary of Education.
            (7) The Secretary of the Treasury.
            (8) The Director of the Bureau of the Census.
            (9) Such other officials of Federal departments and 
        agencies as the Secretary of Labor, the Secretary of Housing 
        and Urban Development, and the Secretary of Health and Human 
        Services, acting jointly, may designate or invite (as 
        appropriate) to serve on the Task Force.
    (c) Rotational Membership.--The Secretary of Labor and the 
Secretary of Housing and Urban Development and the Secretary of Health 
and Human Services shall, jointly, nominate the following members to 
the task force for a period not to exceed 2 years:
            (1) Two experts on child poverty. The experts nominated 
        under this paragraph must have conducted and published a 
        significant body of research on child poverty issues.
            (2) Two local government representatives from States 
        exhibiting child poverty rates of 22 percent or more who have 
        responsibilities in allocating, distributing or determining 
        eligibility for means-tested benefits.
            (3) Two representatives from nonprofit, community serving 
        organizations working to address child poverty through 
        evidence-based and evidence-informed approaches, which meet the 
        scientifically based methods definition of this Act.
            (4) Two representatives from State-level labor or health 
        and human services agencies in States with above average child 
        poverty rates.
            (5) Two representatives from the private sector that have 
        engaged in corporate social responsibility efforts in low-
        income communities, and who have measured success using metrics 
        that are grounded on scientifically based methods.
            (6) One representative with expertise in program evaluation 
        and evidence-based policymaking.
            (7) One representative with expertise in program evaluation 
        or implementation with Indian Tribes.
    (d) Term.--Except as noted in subsection (c), each member shall be 
appointed for the life of the Task Force.
    (e) Vacancies.--A vacancy in the Task Force shall be filled in the 
manner in which the original appointment was made.
    (f) Pay.--
            (1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (2), 
        members of the Task Force shall serve without pay.
            (2) Travel expenses.--Each member shall receive travel 
        expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, in 
        accordance with applicable provisions under subchapter I of 
        chapter 57 of title 5, United States Code.
    (g) Quorum.--A majority of members of the Task Force shall 
constitute a quorum but a lesser number may hold hearings.

SEC. 5. POWERS AND DUTIES.

    (a) Powers of the Task Force.--
            (1) Hearings and sessions.--The Task Force may, for the 
        purpose of carrying out this section, hold hearings, sit and 
        act at times and places, take testimony, and receive evidence 
        as the Task Force considers appropriate. The Task Force may 
        administer oaths or affirmations to witnesses appearing before 
        it.
            (2) Stakeholders.--The Secretary of Labor, the Secretary of 
        Housing and Urban Development, and the Secretary of Health and 
        Human Services, acting jointly, shall, as appropriate, invite 
        representatives of stakeholders to attend meetings of the Task 
        Force, appear before the Task Force, and file statements with 
        the Task Force, subject to such requirements as the Secretaries 
        may determine.
            (3) Powers of members and agents.--Any member or agent of 
        the Task Force may, if authorized by the Task Force, take any 
        action which the Task Force is authorized to take by this 
        section.
            (4) Obtaining official data.--The Task Force may secure 
        directly from any department or agency of the United States 
        information necessary to enable it to carry out this section. 
        Upon request of the chairperson of the Task Force, the head of 
        that department or agency shall furnish that information to the 
        Task Force.
            (5) Mails.--The Task Force may use the United States mails 
        in the same manner and under the same conditions as other 
        departments and agencies of the United States.
            (6) Administrative support services.--Upon the request of 
        the Task Force, the Administrator of General Services shall 
        provide to the Task Force, on a reimbursable basis, the 
        administrative support services necessary for the Task Force to 
        carry out its responsibilities under this section.
    (b) Duties.--The Task Force shall submit to the President and 
Congress, a strategic plan to reduce child poverty, with emphasis and 
prioritization of those States experiencing higher than average poverty 
rates. Such plan shall require the Task Force to--
            (1) analyze the state of poverty in States experiencing 
        higher than average child policy to identify common themes or 
        patterns;
            (2) create an inventory of existing Federal programs 
        targeting child poverty, and the different factors that lead to 
        it including education, labor, child care and development, 
        health, and housing;
            (3) identify duplicative programs, gaps in coverage or 
        programming, and programs that would benefit from flexibility 
        to blend and braid funding;
            (4) analyze evidence of the effectiveness of Federal 
        programs in the inventory to promote continuous improvement and 
        to assure accountability;
            (5) provide recommendations, giving priority preference for 
        States exhibiting above average poverty, on how to enhance, 
        streamline, scale, improve, expand effective programs or 
        repurpose ineffective programs, through legislative, executive 
        and agency actions, including--
                    (A) new allocations in funding, for the expansion 
                of effective programs;
                    (B) pilot initiatives to improve the performance of 
                underperforming Federal programs and initiatives, which 
                shall be prioritized for States experiencing above 
                average child poverty;
                    (C) considering tiered evidence grant making to 
                develop, implement, replicate, scale, and evaluate 
                evidence-based innovations;
                    (D) considering flexibility and waiver pilots to 
                streamline programming;
                    (E) considering Pay for Success initiatives, when 
                appropriate; and
                    (F) considering repurposing ineffective programs;
            (6) recommendations must also include recommendations with 
        the intention of creating, enhancing or improving partnerships 
        among Federal, State, local governments, Indian tribes and the 
        private, academic, and nonprofit sectors;
            (7) study the effect of the child tax credit under section 
        24 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 in cutting child 
        poverty and the effect of an expanded and permanent child tax 
        credit;
            (8) the Task Force must consider approaches that are 
        potentially successful in urban and rural environments;
            (9) the Task Force must consider the needs of immigrant or 
        limited English language speaking communities, when 
        appropriate;
            (10) the Task Force must consider the needs of Indian 
        tribes;
            (11) provide policy guidance and strategies on developing 
        coordinated, coherent, and cohesive cross-agency implementation 
        of actions and budgeting, with an emphasis on data and 
        appropriate metrics;
            (12) devise comprehensive action plans, including multiyear 
        and annual priorities;
            (13) create an accountability mechanism that would allow 
        Congress to monitor progress in States' child poverty rates, 
        and hold States accountable in instances of minimal 
        improvement, stagnant progress or noncompliance; and
            (14) consider, and adopt mechanisms that are documented, 
        using scientifically based methods, to effectively reduce child 
        poverty, which may include--
                    (A) tiered evidence grantmaking that allocates 
                funding based on the level of evidence provided, with 
                smaller awards made to test new and innovative service 
                models and larger awards made to scale service models 
                with stronger evidence;
                    (B) increased flexibility to braid and blend funds 
                by allowing for improved coordination, comprehensive 
                multigenerational programming and streamlining of 
                Federal funding; and
                    (C) pay for success initiatives that tie payment 
                for service delivery to the achievement of measurable 
                outcomes.
    (c) Supplement, Not Supplant.--The Task Force shall not consider or 
adopt strategies that would supplant State or local funds.

SEC. 6. PROVISION OF STAFF, EXPERTS, AND CONSULTANTS.

    (a) Director.--The Task Force shall have a director who shall be 
appointed by the co-chairs, acting jointly.
    (b) Staff Appointments.--Subject to rules prescribed by the Task 
Force, the co-chairs, acting jointly, may appoint additional personnel 
as the co-chairs consider appropriate.
    (c) Applicability of Certain Civil Service Laws.--The director and 
staff of the Task Force shall be appointed subject to the provisions of 
title 5, United States Code, governing appointments in the competitive 
service, and shall be paid in accordance with the provisions of chapter 
51 and subchapter III of chapter 53 of that title relating to 
classification and General Schedule pay rates.
    (d) Experts and Consultants.--Subject to rules prescribed by the 
Task Force, the co-chairs, acting jointly, may procure temporary and 
intermittent services under section 3109(b) of title 5, United States 
Code.
    (e) Staff to Federal Agencies.--Upon request of the co-chairs, 
acting jointly, the head of any Federal department or agency may 
detail, on a reimbursable basis, any of the personnel of that 
department or agency to the Task Force to assist it in carrying out its 
duties under this section.

SEC. 7. INITIAL REPORT.

    (a) First Report to Congress.--Not later than 1 year after the date 
of enactment of this Act, the Task Force shall provide to the Secretary 
of Labor and Congress a report that includes--
            (1) a description of the state of poverty in States with 
        child poverty rates of 22 percent or above, including--
                    (A) the workforce participation and employment 
                rates;
                    (B) the percentage of children living in poverty, 
                including counties or school districts with persistent 
                child poverty;
                    (C) an estimate of both the percentage and number 
                of individuals who are self employed;
                    (D) the average reading and mathematics proficiency 
                for elementary school, from third grade and thereafter, 
                and secondary school students;
                    (E) rates of secondary and post-secondary 
                completion for those experiencing poverty;
                    (F) the number and percentage of individuals 
                participating in means-tested benefits programs;
                    (G) an inventory and analysis of all Federal 
                programs and their evidence base aimed at reducing 
                child poverty or any of its casual variables;
                    (H) a summary of existing studies that have used 
                scientifically based research methods to evaluate the 
                effectiveness of Federal programs and recommendations 
                for ensuring the studies are made publicly available 
                online in a user-friendly format; and
                    (I) a plan for legislative, executive, or other 
                actions, to reduce child poverty rates, with a specific 
                focus on jurisdictions with above average child poverty 
                rates, and address any issues identified as a result of 
                the initial report through--
                            (i) increasing enrollment or expansion of 
                        Federal programs that have shown to be 
                        effective in States with higher than average 
                        child poverty rates;
                            (ii) building scholarly literature and 
                        evidence, including tiered-evidence approaches, 
                        to generate Federal strategies and new funding 
                        opportunities for States with higher than 
                        average child poverty rates;
                            (iii) encouraging the use of flexibility 
                        waiver pilot programs to blend funding and 
                        coordinate programming, when appropriate, which 
                        would grant priorities for States with higher 
                        than average child poverty levels;
                            (iv) providing tax incentives for job 
                        creation; and
                            (v) creating economic incentives by--
                                    (I) exploring the impact of earned 
                                income tax credits;
                                    (II) reducing tax burden for 
                                families of children living in poverty; 
                                and
                                    (III) providing tax incentives for 
                                nonprofit and private sector agents to 
                                reduce family and child poverty rates;
            (2) recommendations for States to engage with local 
        governments, nonprofits, institutions of higher learning, and 
        child poverty experts; and
            (3) a plan for the creation of an accountability mechanism 
        to ensure that child poverty rates are monitored and States 
        held accountable for progress.
    (b) Subsequent Reports.--Not later than 2 years after the date of 
enactment of this Act, and biennially thereafter, the Task Force shall 
submit to the President and the Congress, make publicly available, and 
disseminate a report detailing--
            (1) the strategies developed to address deficiencies noted 
        by the report under subsection (a);
            (2) in the case of reports subsequent to the first report 
        of this subsection, a description of the accomplishments of the 
        task force since the preceding report;
            (3) national priorities for addressing child poverty, 
        economic growth, and family stability in the United States;
            (4) updates on Federal research findings and research needs 
        regarding child and family economic security and stability for 
        economic growth;
            (5) information submitted to the Task Force by Federal 
        departments and agencies for inclusion in the report;
            (6) information submitted by stakeholders for inclusion in 
        the report; and
            (7) progress on strategies in the previous report in States 
        with above average child poverty rates in the original report, 
        which will include--
                    (A) updated child poverty rates, including the 
                nominal and percentage value changes from the original 
                report;
                    (B) workforce participation rates among families 
                with children, and among youth;
                    (C) secondary and post-secondary education 
                enrollment and completion rates; and
                    (D) any other outcome indicators, along with 
                necessary benchmarks, that the Task Force deems as 
                important variables in measuring progress towards the 
                eradication of child poverty.

SEC. 8. REQUIRED RECORDS AND PUBLIC NOTICES.

    (a) Meetings.--
            (1) In general.--The Task Force shall meet not less than 3 
        times in the first year after the establishment of the Task 
        Force, and not less than twice per year thereafter.
            (2) Field hearings.--The Task Force, in addition, shall 
        conduct at least one hearing in any one of the States that meet 
        the poverty rate percentage established in section 4(c)(2).
            (3) Notice.--The Task Force shall--
                    (A) publish in the Federal Register timely notice 
                of each upcoming meeting of the Task Force; and
                    (B) provide for other types of public notice to 
                ensure that all interested persons receive timely 
                notice of each upcoming meeting of the Task Force.
            (4) Minutes.--
                    (A) In general.--The Task Force shall record and 
                maintain detailed minutes of each meeting of the Task 
                Force, including--
                            (i) the meeting agenda;
                            (ii) a record of the persons present;
                            (iii) a complete and accurate description 
                        of matters discussed at the meeting and 
                        conclusions reached; and
                            (iv) copies of all reports received, 
                        issued, or approved by the Task Force in 
                        connection with the meeting.
                    (B) Public availability; copying.--The Task Force 
                shall make such minutes available for public inspection 
                and copying.
                    (C) Accuracy.--The co-chairs of the Task Force 
                shall certify the accuracy of all such minutes.

SEC. 9. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be 
necessary to carry out this Act, and any amounts so appropriated shall 
remain available until expended.

SEC. 10. TERMINATION OF TASK FORCE.

    The Task Force shall terminate no later than 4 years after 
enactment of this Act.

SEC. 11. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Child living in poverty.--The term ``child living in 
        poverty'' means an individual--
                    (A) who is under the age of 18;
                    (B) who lives in a State where the average poverty 
                rate is higher than the national average of 21 percent; 
                and
                    (C) whose family has an income at or below the 
                poverty line.
            (2) ESEA terms.--The terms ``elementary school'', ``poverty 
        line'', ``secondary school'', and ``institution of higher 
        education'' have the meanings given the terms in section 8101 
        of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 
        U.S.C. 7801).
            (3) Indian tribe.--The term ``Indian tribe'' has the 
        meaning given the term in section 4 of the Indian Self-
        Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304).
            (4) Means-tested federal benefit program.--The term 
        ``means-tested Federal benefit program'' means a mandatory 
        spending program of the Federal Government, in which 
        eligibility for the program's benefits, or the amount of such 
        benefits, are determined on the basis of income or resources of 
        the individual or family seeking the benefit, and includes--
                    (A) the supplemental security income program under 
                title XVI of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1381 et 
                seq.);
                    (B) the supplemental nutrition assistance program 
                under the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2011 
                et seq.);
                    (C) the free and reduced price school lunch program 
                established under the Richard B. Russell National 
                School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1751 et seq.) and the 
                summer food service program for children under section 
                13 of such Act (20 U.S.C. 1761);
                    (D) the program of block grants for States for 
                temporary assistance for needy families established 
                under part A of title IV of the Social Security Act (42 
                U.S.C. 601 et seq.);
                    (E) the special supplemental nutrition program for 
                women, infants, and children established by section 17 
                of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1786);
                    (F) the Medicaid program;
                    (G) the earned income credit allowed under section 
                32 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986;
                    (H) the refundable portion of the child tax credit 
                allowed under section 24(d) of such Code; and
                    (I) payments received under section 8 of the United 
                States Housing Act of 1937.
            (5) Scientifically based research methods.--The term 
        ``scientifically based research methods'' means--
                    (A) research that applies rigorous, systematic, and 
                objective procedures to obtain valid knowledge relevant 
                to child poverty; and
                    (B) includes research that--
                            (i) employs systemic, empirical methods 
                        that draw on observation or experiment;
                            (ii) involves rigorous data analyses that 
                        are adequate to test the stated hypotheses and 
                        justify the general conclusions drawn;
                            (iii) relies on measurements or 
                        observational methods that provide valid data 
                        across evaluators and observers and across 
                        multiple measurements and observations; and
                            (iv) has been accepted by a peer-reviewed 
                        journal or approved by a panel of independent 
                        experts through a comparably rigorous, 
                        objective, and scientific review.
            (6) Tiered-evidence approaches.--The term ``tiered-evidence 
        approaches'' include research or activities, including grant 
        classification, where such research, activities or grants are 
        awarded to programs according to their level of evidence of 
        effectiveness.
            (7) State.--The term ``State'' means the several States, 
        the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, 
        American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana 
        Islands, Guam, and the United States Virgin Islands.
            (8) Repurpose.--The term ``repurpose'' means shifting 
        funding from low-performing or low-use programs, policies, or 
        practices to high impact programs, policies, or practices.
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