[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4969 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
118th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 4969
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.
_______________________________________________________________________
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.
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 ``Ending the Cycle of Dependency Act
of 2023''.
SEC. 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.''.
SEC. 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2015(o)(4)) is repealed.
SEC. 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2015(o)(6)) is repealed.
SEC. 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.''.
SEC. 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.''.
SEC. 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.''.
SEC. 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.
<all>