To reform the program of block grants to States for temporary assistance for needy families.

October 17, 2005

Ms. VELAZQUEZ (for herself, Mr. SERRANO, Ms. LEE, Mr. KUCINICH, and Mr. FILNER) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means

To reform the program of block grants to States for temporary assistance for needy families.

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 `TANF Recipients' Lifeline Act'.

SEC. 2. REPEAL OF 5-YEAR LIMIT ON BENEFITS.

(a) In General- Section 408(a) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 608(a)) is amended by striking paragraph (7).

(b) Conforming Amendment- Section 409(a) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 609(a)) is amended by striking paragraph (9).

SEC. 3. EXCEPTION FOR TANF TO 5-YEAR BAN ON BENEFITS FOR QUALIFIED ALIENS.

(a) In General- Section 403(c)(2) of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (8 U.S.C. 1613(c)(2)) is amended by adding at the end the following:

`(M) Benefits under the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program described in section 402(b)(3)(A).'.

(b) Conforming Amendments- Section 402(b)(2) of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (8 U.S.C. 1612(b)(2)) is amended--

(1) in subparagraph (A)(ii) by striking `subparagraph (C))' and inserting `subparagraphs (A) and (C))'; and

(2) by striking subparagraph (B).

SEC. 4. REQUIREMENT TO PROVIDE TRANSLATION SERVICES FOR NON-ENGLISH SPEAKERS.

(a) Requirement- Section 408(a) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 608(a)) is amended by adding at the end the following:

`(12) USE OF BILINGUAL PERSONNEL AND PRINTED MATERIAL- A State to which a grant is made under section 403 shall use appropriate bilingual personnel and printed material in the administration of the State program funded under this part in those portions of the political subdivisions in the State in which a substantial number of recipients of assistance under the State program speak a language other than English.'.

(b) Penalty- Section 409(a) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 609(a)) is amended by adding at the end the following:

`(15) FAILURE TO USE BILINGUAL PERSONNEL AND PRINTED MATERIAL- If the Secretary determines that a State to which a grant is made under section 403 for a fiscal year has violated section 408(a)(12) during the fiscal year, the Secretary shall reduce the grant payable to the State under section 403(a)(1) for the immediately succeeding fiscal year by an amount equal to 2 percent of the State family assistance grant.'.

SEC. 5. INFLATION ADJUSTMENT OF BLOCK GRANT.

(a) Extension of Block Grant- Section 403(a)(1)(A) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 603(a)(1)(A)) is amended by striking `1996' and all that follows through `2002' and inserting `2006 through 2011'.

(b) Inflation Adjustment- Section 403(a)(1) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 603(a)(1)) is amended--

(1) by striking subparagraphs (B) and (C) and inserting the following:

`(B) STATE FAMILY ASSISTANCE GRANT- The State family assistance grant payable to a State for a fiscal year specified in subparagraph (A) shall be--

`(i) the amount that bears the same ratio to the amount specified in subparagraph (C) of this paragraph (as in effect before the date of the enactment of this subparagraph) as the amount required to be paid to the State under this paragraph for fiscal year 2002 (determined without regard to any reduction pursuant to section 409 or 412(a)(1)) bears to the total amount required to be paid under this paragraph for fiscal year 2002 (as so determined); multiplied by

`(ii) if the fiscal year specified in subparagraph (A) is fiscal year 2007 or a succeeding fiscal year, 1.00 plus the inflation percentage (as defined in subparagraph (D) of this paragraph) in effect for the fiscal year specified in subparagraph (A).

`(C) APPROPRIATION- Out of any money in the Treasury of the United States not otherwise appropriated, there are apropriated for each fiscal year specified in subparagraph (A) such sums as may be necessary for grants under this paragraph for the fiscal year.

`(D) INFLATION PERCENTAGE- For purposes of subparagraph (B) of this paragraph, the inflation percentage applicable to a fiscal year is the percentage (if any) by which--

`(i) the average of the Consumer Price Index (as defined in section 1(f)(5) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986) for the 12-month period ending on September 30 of the immediately preceding fiscal year; exceeds

`(ii) the average of the Consumer Price Index (as so defined) for the 12-month period ending on September 30, 2005.'.

SEC. 6. EFFECTIVE DATE.

The amendments made by this Act shall take effect on October 1, 2005.

END