42 U.S.C. § 1314a — Measurement and reporting of welfare receipt

(a) Congressional policy. Congress declares that: (1) Federal policy and responsibility are to reduce how often and how much families depend on income from “welfare programs,” a term this section does not define, and how long they receive welfare, while still meeting other essential national goals; (2) United States policy is to strengthen families, help children grow up in economically self-sufficient families, improve children’s life prospects, and emphasize parents’ responsibility to support their children; (3) the Federal Government should help welfare recipients and people at risk of receiving welfare improve education and job skills, obtain child care and other needed support, and take other needed steps toward financial independence; and (4) this section’s purpose is to give the public generally accepted measures of “welfare receipt,” a term this section does not define, so it can track receipt over time and see whether dependence and the length of receipt are being reduced as far as feasible. (b) Development of welfare indicators and predictors. The Secretary of Health and Human Services (called the “Secretary” here) must consult the Secretary of Agriculture and: (1) develop (A) indicators of how often and, as far as feasible, how much families depend on income from “welfare programs” and how long they receive welfare, and (B) predictors of welfare receipt; (2) assess the data needed to report annually on the indicators and predictors. This assessment must include whether existing data-collection efforts can provide the data and what additional data collection is needed; and (3) no later than 2 years after October 31, 1994, provide an interim report containing the conclusions from the development and assessment under paragraphs (1) and (2) to (A) the House Committee on Ways and Means, (B) the House Committee on Education and Labor, (C) the House Committee on Agriculture, (D) the House Committee on Commerce, (E) the Senate Committee on Finance, (F) the Senate Committee on Labor and Human Resources, and (G) the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. (c) Advisory Board on Welfare Indicators. (1) An Advisory Board on Welfare Indicators (the “Board”) is established. (2) The Board has 12 members. The House of Representatives, the Senate, and the President each appoint equal numbers. The members must include experts in welfare research and welfare statistical methodology, representatives of State and local welfare agencies, and representatives of organizations concerned with welfare issues. (3) A vacancy is filled in the same way as the original appointment for that position. A vacancy does not affect the remaining members’ power to carry out the Board’s duties. (4) The Board’s duties include advising and making recommendations to the Secretary about developing indicators of how often and, as far as feasible, how much families depend on income from “welfare programs,” and the duration of welfare receipt. The Board must also advise on developing and presenting the annual reports required by subsection (d). (5) Members are not compensated. They receive travel expenses, including a daily amount instead of subsistence, at the rates authorized for employees of agencies under title 5, chapter 57, subchapter I, for each day they perform Board duties away from home or their regular place of business. (6) The Secretary must assign Department of Health and Human Services personnel to the Board, without reimbursement, to help it carry out its duties. The assignment must not interrupt or otherwise affect the Federal employee’s civil-service status or privileges. (7) Despite title 31, section 1342, the Board may accept voluntary services from a Board member. (8) The Board terminates when the Secretary determines that the duties in paragraph (4) are complete, but in every case before the first report required under subsection (d) is submitted. (d) Annual welfare indicators report. (1) The Secretary must prepare annual reports on “welfare receipt” in the United States. (2) The report must analyze families and individuals receiving assistance under “means-tested benefit programs,” a term this section does not define. The programs include aid to families with dependent children under part A of subchapter IV of this chapter, the supplemental nutrition assistance program under the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008, Supplemental Security Income under subchapter XVI of this chapter, and general assistance under programs administered by State and local governments. (3) For each means-tested benefit program described in paragraph (2), the report must set forth: (A) indicators of (i) how often and, as far as feasible, how much families depend on income from “welfare programs,” and (ii) the duration of welfare receipt; (B) trends in the indicators; (C) predictors of welfare receipt; (D) causes of welfare receipt; (E) patterns of receiving multiple programs; (F) other information the Secretary considers relevant; and (G) legislative recommendations that do not include proposals to reduce eligibility levels or impose barriers to program access, but that the Secretary considers necessary or desirable to reduce (i) how often and how much families depend on income from “welfare programs,” and (ii) the duration of welfare receipt. (4) The Secretary must submit the report no later than 3 years after October 31, 1994, and annually after that, to the committees listed in subsection (b)(3). Each report must be transmitted during the first 60 days of each regular session of Congress. (e) Short title. This section may be cited as the “Welfare Indicators Act of 1994.”