[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2349 Introduced in House (IH)]






109th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 2349

To authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services to make grants 
 to improve access to dependable, affordable automobiles by low-income 
                               families.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 12, 2005

    Ms. Moore of Wisconsin introduced the following bill; which was 
              referred to the Committee on Ways and Means

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services to make grants 
 to improve access to dependable, affordable automobiles by low-income 
                               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 ``Creating Access to Rides Act''.

SEC. 2. GRANTS FOR LOW-INCOME CAR OWNERSHIP PROGRAMS.

    (a) In General.--Section 403(a) of the Social Security Act (42 
U.S.C. 603(a)) is amended by adding at the end the following:
            ``(6) Grants for low-income car ownership programs.--
                    ``(A) Purposes.--The purposes of this paragraph are 
                to--
                            ``(i) assist low-income families obtain 
                        dependable, affordable automobiles to improve 
                        their employment opportunities and access to 
                        training; and
                            ``(ii) provide incentives to States, Indian 
                        tribes or tribal organizations, localities, and 
                        nonprofit entities to develop and administer 
                        programs that provide assistance with 
                        automobile ownership for low-income families.
                    ``(B) Definitions.--In this paragraph:
                            ``(i) Locality.--The term `locality' means 
                        a municipality that does not administer a State 
                        program funded under this part.
                            ``(ii) Low-income families.--The term `low-
                        income families' means families with total 
                        income of not more than 200 percent of the 
                        poverty line (as defined in section 673(2) of 
                        the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1981, 
                        including any revision required by such section 
                        applicable to a family of the size involved).
                            ``(iii) Nonprofit entity.--The term 
                        `nonprofit entity' means a school, local 
                        agency, organization, or institution owned and 
                        operated by 1 or more nonprofit corporations or 
                        associations, no part of the net earnings of 
                        which inures, or may lawfully inure, to the 
                        benefit of any private shareholder or 
                        individual.
                    ``(C) Authority to award grants.--The Secretary may 
                award grants to States, counties, localities, Indian 
                tribes or tribal organizations, and nonprofit entities 
                to promote improving access to dependable, affordable 
                automobiles by low-income families.
                    ``(D) Grant approval criteria.--The Secretary shall 
                establish criteria for approval of an application for a 
                grant under this paragraph that include consideration 
                of--
                            ``(i) the extent to which the proposal, if 
                        funded, is likely to improve access to training 
                        and employment opportunities and child care 
                        services by low-income families by means of car 
                        ownership;
                            ``(ii) the level of innovation in the 
                        applicant's grant proposal; and
                            ``(iii) any partnerships between the public 
                        and private sector in the applicant's grant 
                        proposal.
                    ``(E) Use of funds.--
                            ``(i) In general.--A grant awarded under 
                        this paragraph shall be used to administer 
                        programs that assist low-income families with 
                        dependable automobile ownership, and 
                        maintenance of, or insurance for, the purchased 
                        automobile.
                            ``(ii) Supplement not supplant.--Funds 
                        provided to a State, Indian tribe or tribal 
                        organization, county, or locality under a grant 
                        awarded under this paragraph shall be used to 
                        supplement and not supplant other State, 
                        county, or local public funds expended for car 
                        ownership programs.
                            ``(iii) General rules governing use of 
                        funds.--The rules of section 404, other than 
                        subsection (b) of that section, shall not apply 
                        to a grant made under this paragraph.
                            ``(iv) Rule of interpretation.--For 
                        purposes of any requirement, limitation, or 
                        prohibition imposed on an individual or family 
                        by or pursuant to this part, assistance 
                        provided to a low-income family pursuant to a 
                        program referred to in clause (i) shall not be 
                        considered assistance under a State program 
                        funded under this part.
                    ``(F) Application.--Each applicant desiring a grant 
                under this paragraph shall submit an application to the 
                Secretary at such time, in such manner, and accompanied 
                by such information as the Secretary may reasonably 
                require.
                    ``(G) Reversion of funds.--Any funds paid from to a 
                grant made under this paragraph that are not expended 
                within 3 years after the date the grant is awarded 
                shall be available for redistribution among other 
                grantees in such manner and amount as the Secretary may 
                determine, unless the Secretary extends by regulation 
                the time period to expend the funds.
                    ``(H) Limitation on administrative costs of the 
                secretary.--Not more than an amount equal to 5 percent 
                of the funds appropriated to make grants under this 
                paragraph for a fiscal year shall be expended for 
                administrative costs of the Secretary in carrying out 
                this paragraph.
                    ``(I) Evaluation.--The Secretary shall, by grant, 
                contract, or interagency agreement, conduct an 
                evaluation of the programs administered with grants 
                awarded under this paragraph.
                    ``(J) Limitations on authorization of 
                appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
                appropriated to the Secretary for grants under this 
                paragraph $50,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2006 
                through 2010.''.
    (b) Authority to Use Funds in Individual Development Accounts for 
Car Ownership, Maintenance, and Insurance.--
            (1) Accounts established under the tanf program.--
                    (A) Additional qualified purpose for use of 
                funds.--Section 404(h)(2)(B) of the Social Security Act 
                (42 U.S.C. 604(h)(2)(B)) is amended by adding at the 
                end the following:
                            ``(iv) Qualified automotive expenditures.--
                        Qualified automotive expenditures paid from an 
                        individual development account directly to the 
                        persons to whom the amounts are due.''.
                    (B) Definition.--Section 404(h)(5) of the Social 
                Security Act (42 U.S.C. 604(h)(5)) is amended by adding 
                at the end the following:
                    ``(J) Qualified automotive expenditures.--The term 
                `qualified automotive expenditures' means expenditures 
                for the purchase or maintenance of an automobile, or 
                for insurance for an automobile.''.
            (2) Accounts established under the assets for independence 
        program.--Section 404(8) of the Assets for Independence Act (42 
        U.S.C. 604 note) is amended by adding at the end the following:
                    ``(E) Qualified automotive expenditures.--
                            ``(i) In general.--Qualified automotive 
                        expenditures paid from an individual 
                        development account directly to the persons to 
                        whom the amounts are due.
                            ``(ii) Definition.--In clause (i), the term 
                        `qualified automotive expenditures' means 
                        expenditures for the purchase or maintenance of 
                        an automobile, or for insurance for an 
                        automobile.''.
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