[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 458 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
109th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 458
To amend part A of title IV of the Social Security Act to give States
the option to create a program that allows individuals receiving
temporary assistance to needy families to obtain post-secondary or
longer duration vocational education.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
February 18, 2005
Ms. Snowe (for herself, Mr. Baucus, Mr. Bingaman, Mr. Jeffords, and Mr.
Rockefeller) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and
referred to the Committee on Finance
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend part A of title IV of the Social Security Act to give States
the option to create a program that allows individuals receiving
temporary assistance to needy families to obtain post-secondary or
longer duration vocational education.
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 ``Pathways to Self-Sufficiency Act of
2005''.
SEC. 2. AUTHORITY TO ESTABLISH UNDERGRADUATE POST-SECONDARY OR
VOCATIONAL EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM UNDER TANF.
(a) State Option.--Section 404 of the Social Security Act (42
U.S.C. 604) is amended by adding at the end the following new
subsection:
``(l) Authority To Establish Undergraduate Post-Secondary or
Vocational Educational Program.--
``(1) In general.--Subject to the succeeding paragraphs of
this subsection, a State to which a grant is made under section
403 may use the grant to establish a program under which an
eligible participant (as defined in paragraph (4)) may be
provided support services described in paragraph (6).
``(2) State plan requirement.--A State may not establish a
program under this subsection unless the State describes (in an
addendum to the State plan submitted under section 402) the
applicable eligibility criteria that is designed to limit
participation in the program to only those individuals--
``(A) whose past earnings indicate that the
individuals cannot qualify for employment that pays
enough to allow them to obtain self-sufficiency (as
determined by the State); and
``(B) for whom enrollment in the program will
prepare the individuals for higher-paying occupations
in demand in the State.
``(3) No federal funds for tuition.--A State may not use
Federal funds provided under a grant made under section 403 to
pay tuition for an eligible participant.
``(4) Definition of eligible participant.--
``(A) In general.--In this subsection, the term
`eligible participant' means an individual who receives
assistance under the State program funded under this
part and satisfies the following requirements:
``(i) The individual is enrolled in a
postsecondary 2- or 4-year degree program or in
a vocational educational training program.
``(ii) During the first 24 months that the
individual participates in the program, the
individual engages in a combination of
educational activities in connection with a
course of study, training, study time,
employment, or work experience for an average
of not less than 24 hours per week.
``(iii) After the first 24 months of the
individual's participation in the program, the
individual--
``(I) works not less than an
average of 15 hours per week (in
addition to school and study time); or
``(II) engages in a combination of
educational activities in connection
with a course of study, training, study
time, employment, or work experience
for an average of not less than 30
hours per week.
``(iv) During the period the individual
participates in the program, the individual
maintains satisfactory academic progress, as
defined by the institution operating the
undergraduate post-secondary or vocational
educational program in which the individual is
enrolled.
``(B) Determination of hours.--For purposes of
determining hours per week under clause (ii) or (iii)
of subparagraph (A), a State may not count study time
of less than 1 hour for every hour of class time or
more than 2 hours for every hour of class time.
``(5) Required time periods for completion of degree or
vocational educational training program.--
``(A) In general.--Subject to subparagraph (B), an
individual participating in a program established under
this subsection shall be required to complete the
requirements of a degree or vocational educational
training program within the normal time frame for full
time students seeking the particular degree or
completing the vocational educational training program.
``(B) Exception.--For good cause, the State may
allow an individual to complete their degree
requirements or vocational educational training program
within a period not to exceed 1\1/2\ times the normal
time frame established under subparagraph (A) (unless
further modification is required by the Americans with
Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12101 et seq.), or
section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29
U.S.C. 794)) and may modify the requirements applicable
to an individual participating in the program. For
purposes of the preceding sentence, good cause includes
the case of an individual with 1 or more significant
barriers to normal participation, as determined by the
State, such as the need to care for a family member
with special needs.
``(6) Support services described.--For purposes of
paragraph (1), the support services described in this paragraph
include any or all of the following during the period the
eligible participant is in the program established under this
subsection:
``(A) Child care.
``(B) Transportation services.
``(C) Payment for books and supplies.
``(D) Other services provided under policies
determined by the State to ensure coordination and lack
of duplication with other programs available to provide
support services.''.
(b) State Option To Include Participants As Engaged in Work.--
(1) In general.--Section 407(c)(2) of the Social Security
Act (42 U.S.C. 607(c)(2)) is amended by adding at the end the
following:
``(E) State option to include participants as
engaged in work.--
``(i) In general.--Subject to clause (ii),
in the case of a State that elects to establish
an undergraduate post-secondary or vocational
education program under section 404(l), the
State may include, for purposes of determining
monthly participation rates under paragraphs
(1)(B)(i) and (2)(B) of subsection (b), all
families that include an individual
participating in the program during the month
as being engaged in work for the month, so long
as each such individual is in compliance with
the requirements of that program.
``(ii) Limitation.--With respect to a
month, the number of families counted as being
engaged in work under clause (i) may not exceed
the amount equal to 10 percent of the number of
families receiving assistance under the State
program funded under this part for the
month.''.
(2) Conforming amendments.--
(A) Section 407(c)(2)(D) of the Social Security Act
(42 U.S.C. 607(c)(2)(D)) is amended--
(i) in the heading, by inserting
``certain'' after ``participation in''; and
(ii) by inserting ``(determined without
regard to individuals participating in a
program referred to in subparagraph (E)(i))''
after ``training''.
(B) Section 407(d)(8) of the Social Security Act
(42 U.S.C. 607(d)(8)) is amended by inserting ``other
than an individual participating in a program that
meets the requirements of section 404(l)'' after
``individual''.
(c) State Option To Credit Months of Participation For Purposes of
5-Year Assistance Limit.--Section 408(a)(7) of the Social Security Act
(42 U.S.C. 608(a)(7)) is amended by adding at the end the following:
``(H) Credit for months participating in a pathways
to self-sufficiency program.--In determining the number
of months for which an adult has received assistance
under a State program funded under this part, the State
may disregard any month during which the adult is a
participant in a program that meets the requirements of
section 404(l).''.
(d) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section take
effect on October 1, 2005.
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