Ending the Cycle of Dependency Act of 2023

Bill: 118-hr-4969
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Burlison, Eric [R-MO-7]
Introduced: 2023-07-27
Policy area: Agriculture and Food
Subjects: Employment and training programs

Food assistance and relief

Poverty and welfare assistance

State and local government operations

Unemployment
Latest action: action_date: 2023-08-28
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Nutrition, Foreign Agriculture, and Horticulture.

Summaries:

tv_txt: I 118th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 4969 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES July 27, 2023 Mr. Burlison (for himself and Mr. Brecheen ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture A BILL To amend the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 to restore and standardize work requirements for able-bodied adults enrolled in the supplemental nutrition assistance program and limit participation to 5 years for able-bodied adults.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Ending the Cycle of Dependency Act of 2023 . 2. Modification of work requirement exemptions for able-bodied adults in the supplemental nutrition assistance program Section 6(o)(3) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 ( 7 U.S.C. 2015(o)(3) ) is amended to read as follows: (3) Exception Paragraph (2) shall not apply to an individual if the individual is— (A) under 18 or over 65 years of age; (B) medically certified as physically or mentally unfit for employment; (C) a parent or other member of a household with primary responsibility for a dependent child under 6 years of age; (D) otherwise exempt under subsection (d)(2); or (E) a pregnant woman. . 3. Repealing waiver of geographic work requirements in the supplemental nutrition assistance program Section 6(o)(4) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 ( 7 U.S.C. 2015(o)(4) ) is repealed. 4. Eliminating no good cause work requirements exceptions in the supplemental nutrition assistance program Section 6(o)(6) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 ( 7 U.S.C. 2015(o)(6) ) is repealed. 5. Standardizing work requirement age limit rules in the supplemental nutrition assistance program Section 6(d)(1)(A) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 ( 7 U.S.C. 2015(d)(1)(A) ) is amended to read as follows: (A) In general No physically and mentally fit individual over the age of 15 and under the age of 65 shall be eligible to participate in the supplemental nutrition assistance program if the individual— (i) refuses, at the time of application and every 12 months thereafter, to register for employment in a manner prescribed by the Secretary; (ii) refuses without good cause to participate in an employment and training program established under paragraph (4), to the extent required by the State agency; (iii) refuses without good cause to accept an offer of employment, at a site or plant not subject to a strike or lockout at the time of the refusal, at a wage not less than the higher of— (I) the applicable Federal or State minimum wage; or (II) 80 percent of the wage that would have governed had the minimum hourly rate under section 6(a)(1) of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 ( 29 U.S.C. 206(a)(1) ) been applicable to the offer of employment; (iv) refuses without good cause to provide a State agency with sufficient information to allow the State agency to determine the employment status or the job availability of the individual; (v) voluntarily and without good cause— (I) quits a job; or (II) reduces work effort and, after the reduction, the individual is working less than 30 hours per week; or (vi) fails to comply with section 20. . 6. Standardizing work requirement exemptions in the supplemental nutrition assistance program Section 6(d)(2) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 ( 7 U.S.C. 2015(d)(2) ) is amended to read as follows: (2) A person who otherwise would be required to comply with the requirements of paragraph (1) of this subsection shall be exempt from such requirements if he or she is (A) currently subject to and complying with a work registration requirement under title IV of the Social Security Act, as amended ( 42 U.S.C. 602 ), or the Federal-State unemployment compensation system, in which case, failure by such person to comply with any work requirement to which such person is subject shall be the same as failure to comply with that requirement of paragraph (1); (B) a parent or other member of a household with primary responsibility for the care of a dependent child under 6 years of age; (C) a bona fide student enrolled at least half time in any recognized school, training program, or institution of higher education (except that any such person enrolled in an institution of higher education shall be ineligible to participate in the supplemental nutrition assistance program unless he or she meets the requirements of subsection (e) of this section); (D) a regular participant in a drug addiction or alcoholic treatment and rehabilitation program; (E) employed a minimum of thirty hours per week or receiving weekly earnings which equal the minimum hourly rate under the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, as amended ( 29 U.S.C. 206(a)(1) ), multiplied by thirty hours; or (F) a person between the ages of sixteen and eighteen who is not a head of a household or who is attending school, or enrolled in an employment training program, on at least a half-time basis. . 7. Lifetime benefit limit for able-Bodied adults in the supplemental nutrition assistance program Section 6 of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 ( 7 U.S.C. 2015 ) is amended by adding a new subsection to read as follows: (t) No assistance for able-Bodied enrollees for more than 5 years (1) In general No member of a household shall be eligible to participate who resides in a household that includes an individual who has participated for 60 months (whether or not consecutive). (2) Minor child exception In determining the number of months for which an individual participated, the State shall disregard any month for which such assistance was provided with respect to the individual and during which the individual was— (A) a minor child; and (B) not the head of a household or married to the head of a household. (3) Additional exceptions Paragraph (1) shall not apply to an individual if the individual is— (A) under 18 or over 64 years of age; (B) medically certified as physically or mentally unfit for employment; (C) a parent or other member of a household with primary responsibility for a dependent child under 6 years of age; or (D) a pregnant woman. . 8. Repealing suspension of work requirements due to covid–19 for able-bodied adults without dependents in the supplemental nutrition assistance program Section 2301 of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (P.L. 116–127, division B, title III, section 2301) is repealed.