[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6531 Introduced in House (IH)]
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117th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 6531
To provide an increased allocation of funding under certain programs
for assistance in areas of persistent poverty, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
February 1, 2022
Mr. Clyburn (for himself and Mr. Rogers of Kentucky) introduced the
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and
Reform
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To provide an increased allocation of funding under certain programs
for assistance in areas of persistent poverty, 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 ``Targeting Resources to Communities
in Need Act of 2022''.
SEC. 2. 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 a department or agency with a role
developing or implementing measures under section 4(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 survey by the Bureau of the Census.
(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 for 1997, 2007, 2017, and the most recent
year for which the estimates are available; or
(B) any territory or possession of the United
States.
SEC. 3. PUBLICATION OF LIST OF AREAS OF PERSISTENT POVERTY.
(a) 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.
(b) Update.--The Bureau of the Census shall update annually the
list published under subsection (a).
SEC. 4. INCREASING SHARE OF FEDERAL RESOURCES TO AREAS OF PERSISTENT
POVERTY AND OTHER HIGH-POVERTY AREAS.
(a) 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 develop and
implement guidance and measures to increase the share of Federal
investments targeted to areas of persistent poverty and other areas
with high and persistent poverty (including any other areas that the
Director, in consultation with Federal agencies, determines to be
appropriate areas to target).
(b) Guidance for Agencies.--Not later than 120 days after the date
of enactment of this Act, the Director shall issue guidance to agencies
regarding--
(1) identifying the scope of programs subject to increased
targeted investment described in subsection (a);
(2) identifying the manner and share of targeted investment
described in subsection (a); and
(3) outlining measures to track increased investment in
areas of persistent poverty and other areas with high and
persistent poverty over time.
(c) Investment Amount.--In developing the guidance and measures
under subsection (a), 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.
(d) Reports to Congress.--The Director shall submit to the
appropriate committees of Congress an annual report that includes--
(1) a list of the programs, by agency, that are included in
the effort to increase the share of Federal investments
targeted to areas of persistent poverty and other areas with
high and persistent poverty; and
(2) for each program listed under paragraph (1)--
(A) the amount of funds that were directed under
the program toward an area of persistent poverty or
other area with high and persistent poverty during the
previous fiscal year;
(B) the percentage change from the fiscal year
before the previous fiscal year in the amount of funds
that were directed under the program toward an area of
persistent poverty or other area with high and
persistent poverty; and
(C) to the extent practicable, an assessment of the
economic impact of the program, including data on
impacted individuals, 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.
SEC. 5. GAO REPORTS.
Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act, and
annually thereafter, the Comptroller General of the United States shall
report to the appropriate committees of Congress on the effectiveness
of the measures implemented pursuant to section 4(a), including an
assessment regarding the impact of the measures on increasing Federal
funds spent in areas of persistent poverty and other areas with high
and persistent poverty.
SEC. 6. 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.
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