[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3640 Introduced in House (IH)]






108th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 3640

     To require the Commissioner of Labor Statistics to develop a 
  methodology for measuring the cost of living in each State, and to 
   require the Comptroller General to determine how certain Federal 
benefits would be increased if the determination of those benefits were 
                       based on that methodology.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           November 21, 2003

 Mr. Tierney (for himself, Mr. Meeks of New York, Mr. George Miller of 
 California, Mr. Acevedo-Vila, Mr. Olver, Ms. Millender-McDonald, Mr. 
Delahunt, Mr. McGovern, Mr. Owens, Mr. Frank of Massachusetts, and Ms. 
   Woolsey) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
   Committee on Education and the Workforce, and in addition to the 
Committees on Ways and Means, Financial Services, and Agriculture, for 
a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for 
consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the 
                          committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
     To require the Commissioner of Labor Statistics to develop a 
  methodology for measuring the cost of living in each State, and to 
   require the Comptroller General to determine how certain Federal 
benefits would be increased if the determination of those benefits were 
                       based on that methodology.

    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 ``Cost of Living Measurement and Index 
Act of 2003''.

SEC. 2. COST OF LIVING METHODOLOGY.

    (a) In General.--The Commissioner of Labor Statistics shall develop 
a methodology for determining the cost of living in each State, which 
accounts for the costs of housing, goods, and services.
    (b) Elements of Methodology.--The methodology developed under this 
section shall include indices for measuring the cost of living in a 
State.
    (c) Report.--Not later than 6 months after the date of enactment of 
this Act, the Commissioner of Labor Statistics shall transmit to the 
Congress and the Comptroller General a report that contains the 
methodology developed under this section.

SEC. 3. STUDY BY COMPTROLLER GENERAL.

    (a) In General.--The Comptroller General shall conduct a study in 
which the methodology developed under section 2 is applied to determine 
how Federal benefits provided to beneficiaries in each State under the 
programs described in subsection (b) would be distributed if--
            (1) the cost of living in each State, as determined under 
        the methodology, were a factor in the determination of such 
        benefits; and
            (2) the methodology were applied so that Federal benefits 
        vary only to the extent that such determination would result in 
        an increase of benefits to beneficiaries in a State.
    (b) Included Federal Benefit Programs.--The study under subsection 
(a) shall include determination of increases in benefits provided under 
the following:
            (1) The Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 
        U.S.C. 6301 et seq.).
            (2) Section 32 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, 
        relating to the earned income tax credit.
            (3) All Federal housing assistance programs.
            (4) The Temporary Assistance to Needy Families Program.
            (5) The Food Stamp Program.
            (6) All other Federal nutrition assistance programs, but 
        only to the extent that they provide vouchers, coupons, cash 
        grants, or cash reimbursements.
    (c) Report.--Not later than 6 months after the date of receipt of 
the report from the Commissioner of Labor Statistics under section 
2(c), the Comptroller General shall transmit a report to the Congress 
that contains the following:
            (1) The results of the study conducted under subsection 
        (a).
            (2) A description of the increases in benefits determined 
        under subsection (b).
            (3) A description of any additional data that should be 
        obtained and considered to confirm or improve those results and 
        determinations.
            (4) Recommendations for any changes in the methodology 
        developed under section 2 that would ensure more accurate 
        determination of the cost of living in a State, including any 
        appropriate changes in the indices that should be used to 
        measure such cost.
            (5) An estimate of the costs to the Federal Government of 
        using the methodology developed under section 2 to determine 
        Federal benefits under the programs referred to in subsection 
        (b) of this section, including any change in such costs that 
        would result from implementing the recommendations made under 
        paragraph (4) of this subsection.
            (6) Recommendations for any changes in law that are 
        necessary or appropriate to ensure that the cost of living in a 
        State, as determined under the methodology developed in section 
        2, is a factor in the determination of Federal benefits 
        provided to beneficiaries in that State under the programs 
        described in subsection (b), but only to the extent that such 
        determination would result in an increase of benefits to 
        beneficiaries in a State.

SEC. 4. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    For the purpose of carrying out this Act, there are authorized to 
be appropriated to the Commissioner of Labor Statistics $1,000,000 for 
fiscal year 2004.
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