[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5824 Introduced in House (IH)]
112th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 5824
To amend the Social Security Act to eliminate the cap on certain
payments under the TANF program to Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands,
Guam, and American Samoa, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
May 17, 2012
Mr. Pierluisi (for himself, Mrs. Christensen, Ms. Bordallo, Mr.
Faleomavaega, and Mr. Serrano) introduced the following bill; which was
referred to the Committee on Ways and Means
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Social Security Act to eliminate the cap on certain
payments under the TANF program to Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands,
Guam, and American Samoa, and for other purposes.
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 ``Territorial TANF Equity Act of
2012''.
SEC. 2. ELIMINATION OF CAP ON CERTAIN PAYMENTS TO PUERTO RICO, THE
VIRGIN ISLANDS, GUAM, AND AMERICAN SAMOA.
(a) In General.--Section 1108 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C.
1308) is amended by striking subsection (a).
(b) Conforming Amendments.--
(1) Redesignations.--Section 1108 of such Act (42 U.S.C.
1308) is amended by redesignating subsections (b), (c), (d),
(f), and (g) as subsections (a), (b), (c), (d), and (e),
respectively.
(2) Additional conforming amendments.--Section 1108 of such
Act (42 U.S.C. 1308) is amended--
(A) in subsection (b), as redesignated by paragraph
(1)--
(i) by striking paragraphs (2), (4), and
(5); and
(ii) redesignating paragraph (3) as
paragraph (2);
(B) in subsection (c), as redesignated by paragraph
(1), by striking ``subsection (b)'' and inserting
``subsection (a)'';
(C) in subsection (d), as redesignated by paragraph
(1), by striking ``subsection (g)'' and inserting
``subsection (e)''; and
(D) in subsection (e), as redesignated by paragraph
(1), by striking ``subsection (f)'' each place it
appears and inserting ``subsection (d)''.
SEC. 3. SUPPLEMENTAL GRANTS TO PUERTO RICO, THE VIRGIN ISLANDS, GUAM,
AND AMERICAN SAMOA.
Section 1108(a) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1308(a)), as
redesignated by section 2(b)(1) of this Act, is amended to read as
follows:
``(a) Entitlement to Supplemental Grants.--
``(1) In general.--Each territory shall be entitled to
receive from the Secretary for each fiscal year a supplemental
grant in an amount equal to--
``(A) in the case of Puerto Rico, the Virgin
Islands, and Guam, 10 percent of the family assistance
grant payable to the territory for the fiscal year; and
``(B) in the case of American Samoa, $100,000.
``(2) Appropriation.--Out of any money in the Treasury of
the United States not otherwise appropriated, there are
appropriated for fiscal year 2012 such sums as are necessary
for grants under this subsection.''.
SEC. 4. ELIGIBILITY OF PUERTO RICO, THE VIRGIN ISLANDS, GUAM, AND
AMERICAN SAMOA FOR THE TANF CONTINGENCY FUND.
(a) Definition of State.--Section 403(b)(7) of the Social Security
Act (42 U.S.C. 603(b)(7)) is amended by striking ``and the District of
Columbia'' and inserting ``, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the
Virgin Islands, Guam, and American Samoa.''.
(b) Alternative Eligibility Criteria for Territories.--Section
403(b)(5) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 603(b)(5)) is amended--
(1) in subparagraph (A)(ii), by striking ``or'' at the end;
(2) in subparagraph (B)(ii), by striking the period at the
end and inserting ``; or''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following:
``(C) in the case of Puerto Rico, the Virgin
Islands, Guam, and American Samoa, the State satisfies
alternative eligibility criteria established by the
Secretary in consultation with the Governor of the
State, to be submitted to the Congress not later than 1
year after the date of the enactment of this
subparagraph.''.
SEC. 5. ELIGIBILITY OF PUERTO RICO, THE VIRGIN ISLANDS, GUAM, AND
AMERICAN SAMOA FOR CHILD CARE ENTITLEMENT FUNDS.
(a) Definition of State.--Section 418(d) of the Social Security Act
(42 U.S.C. 618(d)) is amended by striking ``and the District of
Columbia'' and inserting ``, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the
Virgin Islands, Guam, and American Samoa.''.
(b) Amount of Payment.--
(1) General entitlement.--Section 418(a)(1) of such Act (42
U.S.C. 618(a)(1)) is amended by striking ``equal to the greater
of--'' and all that follows and inserting the following:
``equal to--
``(A) in the case of Puerto Rico, the Virgin
Islands, Guam, and American Samoa, 60 percent of the
amount required to be paid to the State for fiscal year
2010 under the Child Care and Development Block Grant
Act of 1990; or
``(B) in the case of any other State, the greater
of--
``(i) the total amount required to be paid
to the State under section 403 of this Act for
fiscal year 1994 or 1995 (whichever is greater)
with respect to expenditures for child care
under subsections (g) and (i) of section 402 of
this Act (as in effect before October 1, 1995);
or
``(ii) the average of the total amounts
required to be paid to the State for fiscal
years 1992 through 1994 under the subsections
referred to in clause (i).''.
(2) Allotment of remainder.--Section 418(a)(2)(B) of such
Act (42 U.S.C. 618(a)(2)(B)) is amended to read as follows:
``(B) Allotments to states.--Of the total amount
available for payments to States under this paragraph,
as determined under subparagraph (A)--
``(i) an amount equal to 65 percent of the
amount required to be paid to each of Puerto
Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, and American
Samoa for fiscal year 2010 under the Child Care
and Development Block Grant Act of 1990, shall
be allotted to Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands,
Guam, and American Samoa, respectively; and
``(ii) the remainder shall be allotted
among the other States based on the formula
used for determining the amount of Federal
payments to each State under section 403(n) of
this Act (as in effect before October 1,
1995).''.
SEC. 6. INCREASE IN FEDERAL MATCHING RATE FOR FOSTER CARE AND ADOPTION
ASSISTANCE IN PUERTO RICO, THE VIRGIN ISLANDS, GUAM, AND
AMERICAN SAMOA.
Section 474(a) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 674(a)) is
amended in each of paragraphs (1) and (2)--
(1) by striking ``in the case of a State other than the
District of Columbia, or'' and inserting ``in the case of each
of the 50 States,''; and
(2) by inserting ``, or 75 percent, in the case of Puerto
Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, and American Samoa'' after ``in
the case of the District of Columbia''.
SEC. 7. EFFECTIVE DATE.
The amendments made by this Act shall take effect on the 1st day of
the 1st fiscal year that begins 1 year or more after the date of
enactment of this Act.
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