117 HR 6531 EH: Targeting Resources to Communities in Need Act of 2022
U.S. House of Representatives
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I
117th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 6531
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
AN ACT
To provide an increased allocation of funding under certain programs for assistance in areas of persistent poverty, and for other purposes.
1.

Short title
This Act may be cited as the “Targeting Resources to Communities in Need Act of 2022”.
2.

Increasing share of Federal resources to areas of persistent poverty and other high-poverty areas
(a)

Increasing share of Federal resources
(1)

Guidance and measures to increase Federal investments
Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Director, in consultation with Federal agencies, shall implement guidance to increase the share of Federal investments targeted to—
(A)
areas of persistent poverty; and
(B)
other areas of high and persistent poverty that the Director, in consultation with Federal agencies, determines to be appropriate.
(2)

Guidance for agencies
Not later than 120 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Director shall issue guidance to Federal agencies identifying—
(A)
the scope and type of programs subject to the guidance and measures required by paragraph (1);
(B)
the share of Federal investments to be targeted to the areas described under paragraph (1);
(C)
the manner in which Federal investments are to be targeted to the areas described under paragraph (1); and
(D)
measures to track the Federal investments targeted to the areas described under paragraph (1) over time.
(3)

Investment amount
In developing the guidance and measures under paragraph (1), the Director shall include a minimum goal that Federal investments targeted to areas of persistent poverty or other areas with high and persistent poverty be in an amount that is greater than the amount that is proportional to the population of such areas in the United States relative to the population of the United States as a whole.
(4)

Reports to Congress
The Director, in consultation with Federal agencies, shall submit each fiscal year to the appropriate committees of Congress a report that includes—
(A)
a list of the programs, by agency, under which the amount of Federal funds targeted to areas described under paragraph (1) were increased in the previous fiscal year, in accordance with such paragraph; and
(B)
for each program listed under subparagraph (A)—
(i)
the amount of funds that were targeted under the program to an area of persistent poverty or other area with high and persistent poverty during the previous fiscal year;
(ii)
the percent change from the fiscal year before the previous fiscal year in the amount of funds that were targeted under the program toward an area of persistent poverty or other area with high and persistent poverty; and
(iii)
to the extent practicable, an assessment of the economic impact of the program on the area, including data on the categories of individuals impacted by the targeting of funds to such areas under the program, disaggregated by household income, race, gender, age, national origin, disability status, and whether the individuals live in an urban area, suburban area, or rural area.
(b)

Publication of list of areas of persistent poverty
(1)

In general
Not later than 60 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Bureau of the Census shall publish a list of all areas of persistent poverty.
(2)

Update
The Bureau of the Census shall update annually the list published under paragraph (1).
(c)

GAO reports
(1)

Initial report
Not later than two years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall provide to the appropriate committees of Congress a report on the effectiveness of the measures implemented under subsection (a), including an assessment regarding the impact of increasing Federal investments spent in areas of persistent poverty and other areas with high and persistent poverty.
(2)

Subsequent reports
Not later than 10 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall provide at least two subsequent reports (as described in paragraph (1)) to the appropriate committees of Congress.
(d)

Authorization of appropriations
There is authorized to be appropriated for fiscal year 2023, $5,000,000 for salaries and expenses (including for entering contracts with non-Federal persons) to carry out this Act.
(e)

Definitions
In this Act:
(1)

Appropriate committees of Congress
The term appropriate committees of Congress means—
(A)
the Committee on Appropriations, the Committee on the Budget, the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, and the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate;
(B)
the Committee on Appropriations, the Committee on the Budget, the Committee on Energy and Commerce, the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and the Committee on Oversight and Reform of the House of Representatives; and
(C)
any other committee of Congress that has jurisdiction over an agency with a role developing or implementing measures under subsection (a).
(2)

Area of persistent poverty
The term area of persistent poverty means an area that is a high-poverty census tract or a persistent poverty county.
(3)

Director
The term Director means the Director of the Office of Management and Budget.
(4)

High-poverty census tract
The term high-poverty census tract means a census tract that has a poverty rate of not less than 20 percent in the most recent American Community Survey 5-year data published by the Bureau of the Census, and in the case of areas where no such data is collected from the American Community Survey, such term includes a census tract with a poverty rate of not less than 20 percent in the most recent decennial census of population conducted by the Bureau.
(5)

Persistent poverty county
The term persistent poverty county means—
(A)
a county, parish, or other equivalent county division (as determined by the Bureau of the Census) with a poverty rate of not less than 20 percent in the Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates by the Bureau of the Census in at least 25 of the last 30 years, including the most recent year for which the estimates are available; or
(B)
for areas where Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates are not available, a county, parish, or equivalent level of geography, with a poverty rate of not less than 20 percent in at least 25 of the last 30 years, including the most recent year for which an estimate is available, as determined by the Bureau of the Census.
Passed the House of Representatives May 18, 2022.
Cheryl L. Johnson,
Clerk.