Upward Mobility Act: Consolidating Federal Antipoverty Funds into State Pilot Grants
This Act establishes a pilot program allowing up to five states to merge funds from major federal antipoverty programs, including nutrition, housing, and energy assistance, into a single Upward Mobility Grant. The goal is to simplify benefit delivery and eliminate "benefit cliffs" that discourage work, thereby promoting higher employment and earnings among participants. Citizens in participating states will receive assistance through this streamlined system, subject to new work requirements.
Key points
States can combine funding from programs like SNAP, TANF, housing, and energy assistance into one grant for greater flexibility in service delivery and local customization.
New benefit structures are designed to limit the loss of assistance as earnings increase, ensuring that working more remains financially beneficial (reducing "benefit cliffs").
Work Requirements: Federal work requirements, similar to those in the SNAP program, are applied to all recipients of direct assistance benefits within the pilot project.
Participating states can request waivers from many federal rules regarding eligibility and program operation, excluding those related to civil rights, health, safety, or labor standards.
Status:
Introduced
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