[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5891 Introduced in House (IH)]

111th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 5891

To direct the Bureau of the Census to publish improved annual measures 
 of family income for use in more accurately determining the extent of 
  poverty in the United States and the anti-poverty effectiveness of 
     means-tested benefit and tax programs, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 28, 2010

  Mr. Linder introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
   Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on 
   Oversight and Government Reform, 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 direct the Bureau of the Census to publish improved annual measures 
 of family income for use in more accurately determining the extent of 
  poverty in the United States and the anti-poverty effectiveness of 
     means-tested benefit and tax programs, 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 ``Poverty Measurement Improvement 
Act''.

SEC. 2. IMPROVED MEASURES OF INCOME AND POVERTY.

    Part A of title XI of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1301--
1320b-21) is amended by adding at the end the following:

``SEC. 1150A. IMPROVED MEASURES OF INCOME AND POVERTY.

    ``(a) In General.--In order to more accurately determine the extent 
of poverty in the United States, and the anti-poverty effectiveness of 
means-tested benefit and tax programs, the Bureau of the Census shall 
publish annually statistics on levels of family income in the United 
States. Such statistics shall take into account, at a minimum, the full 
benefits poverty income measure and the partial benefits poverty income 
measure, as follows:
    ``(b) Definitions.--In this section:
            ``(1) Full benefits poverty income measure.--The term `full 
        benefits poverty income measure' means the sum of the partial 
        benefits poverty income measure and other noncash benefits 
        (including supplemental nutrition assistance benefits, housing 
        subsidies, the actuarial value of health insurance coverage, 
        and any other State or Federal means-tested benefits) 
        attributable to the members of the household involved, 
        including non-related members. In calculating the sum, the 
        Bureau of the Census shall apply its current disposable income 
        methodology, which includes--
                    ``(A) earnings, unemployment compensation under 
                Federal or State law, worker's compensation, social 
                security benefits, supplemental security income 
                benefits, public assistance (including TANF or other 
                welfare benefits), veterans' payments, survivor 
                benefits, disability benefits, retirement income, 
                interest, dividends, rent, other income, alimony, child 
                support, education assistance, capital gains, the 
                market value of supplemental nutrition assistance 
                benefits, the market value of school lunch program 
                benefits, housing subsidies, and estimated return to 
                home equity;
                    ``(B) the net Federal tax liability or refund, 
                after taking account of any refundable credits such as 
                the earned income credit or the child tax credit; and
                    ``(C) capital losses, State income tax liablity 
                after State refundable credits, Federal Insurance 
                Contributions Act taxes, retirement contributions 
                (including Federal retirement payroll contributions), 
                property taxes, and estimated work expenses (such as 
                child care and work-related transportation expenses).
            ``(2) Partial benefits poverty income measure.--In this 
        section, the term `partial benefits poverty income measure' 
        means money income, as defined by the Bureau of the Census for 
        purposes of any survey relating to income or poverty in the 
        United States.
    ``(c) Rates and Other Data.--The Bureau of the Census shall produce 
corresponding tables and graphs showing for each year the following:
            ``(1) The poverty rate (and related data), determined by 
        using the full benefits poverty income measure.
            ``(2) The poverty rate (and related data), determined by 
        using the partial benefits poverty income measure.''.
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