H.R. 5838House115th Congress (2017-2019)In Committee

Improving Access to Work Act

AI-Generated Summary

Updated April 15, 2026 at 9:49 PM UTC

The Improving Access to Work Act changes the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program under the Social Security Act. It bars states from using federal TANF funds to replace their own general‑revenue spending and requires that a portion of TANF money be used for core work‑related activities. The bill mainly affects state governments that receive TANF grants and the families they serve.

Key Provisions

Adds a rule that TANF federal funds must supplement, not replace, state general‑revenue spending on the program’s activities.
Requires states to spend at least 25% of their TANF grant on core activities such as assistance, case management, work supports, wage subsidies, work activities, and short‑term benefits.
Mandates that at least 25% of qualified state expenditures from non‑private sources counted toward the maintenance‑of‑effort requirement must be for those same core activities.
The new requirements become effective on October 1, 2018.

Legislative Activity

Stay on top of the latest movement without scrolling through every action

2 earlier actions

HouseCommittee Latest Action

Referred to the Subcommittee on Human Resources.

Work and Welfare Subcommittee

June 4, 2018

View full timeline

HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

May 16, 2018

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

Ways and Means Committee

May 16, 2018

HouseCommittee

Referred to the Subcommittee on Human Resources.

Work and Welfare Subcommittee

June 4, 2018

Bill Text

Latest available legislative text

Reading Mode

Raw Text PDF XML

Introduced in HouseIssued May 16, 2018

115th CONGRESS

2d Session

H. R. 5838

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

May 16, 2018

Mr. LaHood introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means

A BILL

To amend title IV–A of the Social Security Act, and for other purposes.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Improving Access to Work Act.

Prohibiting State diversion of Federal funds to replace State spending

Section 404 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 604) is amended by adding at the end the following:

(l)

Limitation on use of Federal funds To replace State general revenue funds

Funds made available to States under this part must be used to supplement, not supplant, State general revenue spending on activities described in this section.

Targeting funds to core purposes

(a)

Requirement that States reserve 25 percent of TANF grant for spending on core activities

Section 408(a) (42 U.S.C. 608(a)) is amended by adding at the end the following:

(13)

Requirement that States reserve 25 percent of TANF grant for spending on core activities

A State to which a grant is made under section 403(a) for a fiscal year shall expend not less than 25 percent of the grant on assistance, case management, work supports and supportive services, work, wage subsidies, work activities (as defined in section 407(d)), and non-recurring short-term benefits.

(b)

Requirement that at least 25 percent of qualified State expenditures from non-Private sources be for core activities

Section 408(a) (42 U.S.C. 608(a)), as amended by subsection (a) of this section, is amended by adding at the end the following:

(14)

Requirement that at least 25 percent of qualified State expenditures from non-private sources counting towards maintenance of effort requirement be for core activities

Not less than 25 percent of the qualified State expenditures of a State during the fiscal year shall be expenditures of funds from non-private sources for assistance, case management, work supports and supportive services, work, wage subsidies, work activities (as defined in section 407(d)), and non-recurring short-term benefits.

Effective date

The amendments made by this Act shall take effect on October 1, 2018.