What Works to Move Welfare Recipients into Jobs Act

Bill: 114-hr-5169
Sponsor: Rep. Buchanan, Vern [R-FL-16]
Introduced: 2016-05-06 in the House
Policy area: Social Welfare
Subjects: Child safety and welfare
Employment and training programs
Government information and archives
Marriage and family status
Performance measurement
Poverty and welfare assistance
Research administration and funding
State and local government operations
Teenage pregnancy

Summary:
action_date: 2016-05-06
text: 

What Works to Move Welfare Recipients into Jobs Act

 
 This bill amends part A (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) (TANF) of title VI of the Social Security Act to revise requirements for research by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on the benefits, effects, and costs of operating different state programs funded under part A and any other state program funded with qualified state expenditures.
 
Such research shall focus on the effect of these programs as well as of healthy marriage promotion and responsible fatherhood grants on employment, self-sufficiency, child well-being, unmarried births, marriage, poverty, economic mobility, and other factors determined by HHS.
 
At the request of a state, HHS may provide assistance to help the state develop and evaluate policies to achieve specified goals.
 
A state's contribution to the cost of a state-initiated evaluation of its program, from non-federal sources, shall increase from at least 10% to at least 25% of the cost of the proposed evaluation. 
 
The Bureau of the Census shall implement or enhance household surveys of program participation to allow for assessment of the outcomes of continued welfare reform on the economic and child well-being of low-income families with children, including those who received assistance or services from a state program funded under TANF or any other state program funded with qualified state expenditures.
 
Research and evaluation designed to determine the effects of a program or policy (other than Census Bureau research) shall use experimental designs using random assignment or other reliable, evidence-based research methodologies that allow for the strongest possible casual inferences when random assignment is not feasible.
HHS shall develop a database of the projects that used a proven or a promising approach in moving welfare recipients into work, which shall be called the What Works Clearinghouse of Proven and Promising Projects to Move Welfare Recipients into Work.

action_date: 2016-06-10
text: 

What Works to Move Welfare Recipients into Jobs Act

 
This bill amends part A (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) (TANF) of title VI of the Social Security Act to revise requirements for research by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on the benefits, effects, and costs of operating different state programs funded under part A and any other state program funded with qualified state expenditures.
 
(Sec. 2) Such research shall focus on the effect of these programs as well as of healthy marriage promotion and responsible fatherhood grants on employment, self-sufficiency, child well-being, unmarried births, marriage, poverty, economic mobility, and other factors determined by HHS.
 
A state's contribution to the cost of a state-initiated evaluation of its program, from non-federal sources, shall increase from at least 10% to at least 25% of the cost of the proposed evaluation. 
 
The Bureau of the Census shall implement or enhance household surveys of program participation to allow for assessment of the outcomes of continued welfare reform on the economic and child well-being of low-income families with children, including those who received assistance or services from a state program funded under TANF or any other state program funded with qualified state expenditures.
 
Research and evaluation designed to determine the effects of a program or policy (other than Census Bureau research) shall use experimental designs using random assignment or other reliable, evidence-based research methodologies that allow for the strongest possible casual inferences when random assignment is not feasible. 
HHS shall develop a database of the projects that used a proven or a promising approach in moving welfare recipients into work, which shall be called the What Works Clearinghouse of Proven and Promising Projects to Move Welfare Recipients into Work.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2016-06-10
text: Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 478.
action_date: 2016-06-10
text: Committee on Oversight and Government discharged.
action_date: 2016-06-10
text: Committee on Oversight and Government discharged.
action_date: 2016-06-10
text: Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Ways and Means. H. Rept. 114-615, Part I.
action_date: 2016-06-10
text: Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Ways and Means. H. Rept. 114-615, Part I.
action_date: 2016-05-24
text: Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote.
action_date: 2016-05-24
text: Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
action_date: 2016-05-20
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Human Resources.
action_date: 2016-05-06
text: Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2016-05-06
text: Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2016-05-06
text: Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2016-05-06
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2016-05-06
text: Introduced in House