S.Amdt. 2197

SA 2197. Mr. REED (for himself and Mrs. Britt) submitted an amendment

[[Page S4490]]

intended to be proposed by him to the bill S. 4638, to authorize
appropriations for fiscal year 2025 for military activities of the
Department of Defense, for military construction, and for defense
activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military personnel
strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes; which was
ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

At the appropriate place, insert the following:

SEC. _____. FAMILY SELF-SUFFICIENCY ESCROW EXPANSION PILOT
PROGRAM.

Section 23 of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42
U.S.C. 1437u) is amended by adding at the end the following:
``(p) Escrow Expansion Pilot Program.--
``(1) Definitions.--In this subsection:
``(A) Covered family.--The term `covered family' means a
family that receives direct assistance under section 8 or 9
of this Act and is enrolled in the pilot program established
under this subsection.
``(B) Eligible entity.--The term `eligible entity' means an
entity described in subsection (c)(2).
``(C) Escrow account authorization.--The term `escrow
account authorization' means the number of escrow accounts
the Secretary authorizes eligible entities selected under
this subsection to create and manage in accordance with
paragraph (3).
``(2) Establishment.--The Secretary shall establish a pilot
program under which the Secretary, through a competitive
process, shall select not more than 25 eligible entities to
establish and manage escrow accounts for not more than 5,000
covered families, in accordance with this subsection.
``(3) Escrow accounts.--
``(A) In general.--An eligible entity selected to
participate in the pilot program created under this
subsection--
``(i) shall establish, on behalf of each covered family, an
interest-bearing escrow account and place into the account an
amount equal to any increase in the amount of rent paid by
the family in accordance with the provisions of section 3,
8(o), or 8(y), as applicable, that is attributable to
increases in earned income by the covered family during the
participation of the family in the pilot program; and
``(ii) notwithstanding any other provision of law, may use
funds it controls under section 8 or 9 for purposes of making
the escrow deposit for covered families assisted under, or
residing in units assisted under, section 8 or 9 of this
title, respectively, provided such funds are offset by the
increase in the amount of rent paid by the covered family.
``(B) Income limitation.--The Secretary shall not escrow
any amounts for any covered family whose adjusted income
exceeds 80 percent of the area median income.
``(C) Withdrawals.--A covered family shall be able to
access funds in an escrow account established under this
pilot program--
``(i) after the covered family ceases to receive income
assistance under Federal or State welfare programs; and
``(ii)(I) not earlier than the date that is 5 years after
the date on which the escrow account is established;
``(II) not later than the date that is 7 years after the
date on which the escrow account is established, if the
covered family chooses to continue to use the pilot program
created under this subsection after the date that is 5 years
after the date on which the escrow account is established;
``(III) on the date the covered family ceases to receive
housing assistance under section 8 or 9, if such date is
earlier than 5 years after the date on which the escrow
account is established; or
``(IV) under other circumstances in which the Secretary
determines an exemption for good cause is warranted.
``(4) Effect of increases in family income.--Any increase
in the earned income of a covered family during the
enrollment of the family in the pilot program established
under this subsection may not be considered as income or a
resource for purposes of eligibility of the family for other
benefits, or amount of benefits payable to the family, under
any program administered by the Secretary.
``(5) Application.--
``(A) In general.--An eligible entity seeking to
participate in the pilot program under this subsection shall
submit to the Secretary an application--
``(i) at such time, in such manner, and containing such
information as the Secretary may require by notice; and
``(ii) that includes the number of proposed covered
families to be served by the eligible entity under this
subsection.
``(B) Geographic and entity variety.--The Secretary shall
ensure that eligible entities selected to participate in the
pilot program under this subsection--
``(i) are located across various States and in both urban
and rural areas; and
``(ii) vary by size and type, including both public housing
agencies and private owners of projects receiving project-
based rental assistance under section 8.
``(6) Notification and opt-out.--An eligible entity
participating in the pilot program under this subsection
shall--
``(A) notify covered families of their enrollment in the
pilot program under this subsection;
``(B) provide covered families with a detailed description
of the pilot program, including how the pilot program will
impact their rent and finances; and
``(C) provide covered families with the ability to elect
not to participate in the pilot program--
``(i) not less than 2 weeks before the date on which the
escrow account is established under paragraph (3); and
``(ii) at any point during the duration of the pilot
program.
``(7) Maximum rents.--During the term of participation by a
covered family in the pilot program under this subsection,
the amount of rent paid by the enrolled family shall be
calculated under the rental provisions of section 3 or 8(o),
as applicable.
``(8) Pilot program timeline.--
``(A) Awards.--Not later than 18 months after the date of
enactment of this subsection, the Secretary shall select the
eligible entities to participate in the pilot program.
``(B) Establishment and term of accounts.--An eligible
entity selected to participate in the pilot program under
this subsection shall--
``(i) not later than 6 months after selection and receipt
of escrow account authority, establish escrow accounts under
paragraph (3) for covered families; and
``(ii) maintain those escrow accounts for not less than 5
years, or until the date the family ceases to receive
assistance under section 8 or 9, and, at the discretion of
the covered family, not more than 7 years after the date on
which the escrow account is established.
``(9) Nonparticipation and housing assistance.--
``(A) In general.--Assistance under section 8 or 9 for a
family that elects not to participate in the pilot program
shall not be delayed by reason of such election.
``(B) No termination.--Housing assistance may not be
terminated as a consequence of participating, or not
participating, in the pilot program under this subsection for
any period of time.
``(10) Study.--Not later than 7 years after the date the
Secretary selects eligible entities to participate in the
pilot program under this subsection, the Secretary shall
conduct a study and submit to the Committee on Banking,
Housing, and Urban Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on
Financial Services of the House of Representatives a report
on outcomes for covered families under the pilot program
under this subsection, which shall evaluate the effectiveness
of the pilot program in assisting families to achieve
economic independence and self-sufficiency, and the impact
coaching and supportive services, or the lack thereof, had on
individual incomes.
``(11) Termination.--The pilot program under this
subsection shall terminate on the date that is 10 years after
the date of enactment of this subsection.
``(12) Authorization of appropriations.--
``(A) In general.--There is authorized to appropriated to
the Secretary for fiscal year 2025 $5,000,000 to carry out
program administration and evaluation under this subsection.
``(B) Availability.--Any amounts appropriated under this
subsection shall remain available until expended.''.
______