[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 3918 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

<DOC>






117th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 3918

 To establish programs to improve family economic security by breaking 
    the cycle of multigenerational poverty, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             March 24, 2022

  Mr. Heinrich (for himself and Ms. Collins) introduced the following 
  bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, 
                     Education, Labor, and Pensions

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To establish programs to improve family economic security by breaking 
    the cycle of multigenerational 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; TABLE OF CONTENTS.

    (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Two-Generation 
Economic Empowerment Act of 2022''.
    (b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents for this Act is as 
follows:

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 2. Findings; purposes.
Sec. 3. Definitions.
           TITLE I--INTERAGENCY COUNCIL ON ECONOMIC MOBILITY

Sec. 101. Interagency Council on Economic Mobility.
Sec. 102. Information displayed on Council website.
Sec. 103. Authorization of appropriations.
                     TITLE II--2-GENERATION PROGRAM

Sec. 201. Programs.
Sec. 202. General provisions.
            TITLE III--PERFORMANCE PARTNERSHIP PILOT PROGRAM

Sec. 301. Definitions.
Sec. 302. Performance partnership pilots.
Sec. 303. Reporting; evaluations.
Sec. 304. Applicability to existing performance partnership pilots.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS; PURPOSES.

    (a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
            (1) Almost half, or 40 percent, of children in the United 
        States are from low-income families, and at least 60 percent of 
        Black, Hispanic, and Native American children live in low-
        income families.
            (2) Individuals caught in multigenerational poverty tend to 
        lack the support needed to move beyond day-to-day situations, 
        make long-term financial plans, and support the community 
        around them.
            (3) Twenty-five percent of children in the United States 
        live in single-caregiver households, and 69 percent of children 
        who live in such households are from low-income families.
            (4) Many of the services and systems that are intended to 
        help low-income families are fragmented, with approaches that 
        address the needs of caregivers and children separately. These 
        fragmented approaches often leave either the caregiver or the 
        child behind and dim the family's chance at success.
            (5) In 2015, the Department of Agriculture estimated that 
        more than 9,200,000 individuals in the United States are from 
        low-income families that reside more than 1 mile from a 
        supermarket, and 2,100,000 of such individuals do not have 
        access to a car.
            (6) Healthy communities have a variety of components, 
        including--
                    (A) safe, sustainable, accessible, and affordable 
                transportation options that enable--
                            (i) children to commute to and from school 
                        safely; and
                            (ii) caregivers to seek work outside of 
                        their community;
                    (B) housing that is affordable, high-quality, 
                socially integrated, and location-efficient;
                    (C) access to quality schools, parks and other 
                recreational facilities, child care, libraries, 
                financial services, and resources for other daily 
                needs; and
                    (D) support for healthy behavioral development of 
                children and adolescents.
            (7) Economic research demonstrates--
                    (A) a 13-percent return on investment in high-
                quality early childhood programs for a child for each 
                year of the child's life; and
                    (B) that a college degree obtained by a caregiver 
                is expected to double the caregiver's income.
            (8) For families who have an annual income of $25,000, or 
        less, and have young children, a $3,000 increase in such annual 
        income during the years of early childhood for such children 
        yields a 17-percent increase in earnings for those children 
        when those children become adults.
            (9) A successful 2-generation program will--
                    (A) improve family economic security by creating 
                opportunities for, and addressing the needs of, 
                caregivers and children simultaneously, which can be 
                measured in outcomes for both caregivers and children;
                    (B) seek the input of caregivers who are served by 
                the program and ensure their perspectives and 
                experience inform the design of the program;
                    (C) break the cycle of multigenerational poverty 
                and create a cycle of family prosperity; and
                    (D) foster and develop healthy communities.
            (10) The return on investment in education for children and 
        their caregivers is high. Early childhood education programs 
        help children develop new skills and prepare them for grade 
        school. A caregiver's level of educational attainment is the 
        best predictor of a child's success. Higher education opens the 
        door to a stable career with a family-sustaining wage, 
        providing opportunities for families to break the cycle of 
        multigenerational poverty.
            (11) Work-family supports (such as paid family leave and 
        access to high-quality child care), and economic supports (such 
        as affordable housing, transportation, financial education and 
        asset-building, tax credits, child care subsidies, student 
        financial aid, health insurance, assistance under the temporary 
        assistance for needy families program under part A of title IV 
        of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 601 et seq.), and food 
        assistance), that encourage, support, and reward work provide a 
        scaffold as caregivers pursue the skill-building activities and 
        education that lead to better jobs and longer-term financial 
        stability.
            (12) Postsecondary education, such as community college 
        associate degrees and credentials, and employment pathways, 
        such as workforce development training and workforce 
        partnerships, can build skills leading to high-demand jobs and 
        opportunities for advancement that increase employment rates 
        and income for caregivers.
            (13) Social capital is a key success factor of the 2-
        generation approach and builds on the strength and resilience 
        of families, bolstering the aspirations caregivers have for 
        their children and for themselves. For individuals living in 
        certain regions, the lack of community development contributes 
        to a lack of economic mobility and a lack of multigenerational 
        success.
            (14) Physical and mental health have a major impact on the 
        ability of a family to thrive. There is a well-documented 
        correlation between poor health and poor family finances, with 
        poor health causing poor family finances and poor family 
        finances causing poor health. Improved physical health and 
        health behaviors are associated with higher scores on 
        standardized tests. There is a link between mothers providing a 
        higher level of emotional support and positive outcomes in 
        children, such as children demonstrating an improved social 
        competence and engagement in schooling. Meanwhile, social 
        isolation of children is associated with a higher rate of abuse 
        and neglect of children.
            (15) All of the 50 several States and the District of 
        Columbia have actively mobilized around 2-generation 
        approaches, which link and align social services, education, 
        and job training to address the needs of 2 generations at the 
        same time and give families the tools they need to succeed.
    (b) Purpose.--The purpose of this Act is to improve family economic 
security by breaking the cycle of multigenerational poverty, and to 
create a cycle of family prosperity, including through developing 2-
generation programs that involve initiatives of the Federal Government, 
States, local governments, and Tribal governments and initiatives of 
the private sector.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) 2-generation approach.--The term ``2-generation 
        approach'' means the approach to breaking the cycle of 
        multigenerational poverty by improving family economic security 
        through the implementation of programs, with measurable 
        outcomes, that create opportunities for, and address the needs 
        of, caregivers and children simultaneously. Such approach may 
        include intentional coordination between separate programs for 
        adults and for children, such as a Head Start program carried 
        out under the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9831 et seq.).
            (2) 2-generation program.--The term ``2-generation 
        program'' means--
                    (A) a program established under section 201(a); or
                    (B) any other program that takes the 2-generation 
                approach, including the Head Start program under the 
                Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9831 et seq.), the maternal, 
                infant, and early childhood home visiting program under 
                section 511 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 711), 
                and other such programs carried out by Federal, State, 
                local, Tribal, or private nonprofit entities.
            (3) Agency.--The term ``agency'' has the meaning given such 
        term in section 551 of title 5, United States Code.
            (4) Caregiver.--The term ``caregiver'' means an individual, 
        such as a parent, adoptive parent, foster parent, grandparent, 
        other relative, or guardian, raising a child.
            (5) Council agency.--The term ``Council agency'' means an 
        agency listed in section 101(c)(1)(A) or included under section 
        101(c)(3)(A)(ii).
            (6) Discretionary appropriations.--The term ``discretionary 
        appropriations'' has the meaning given such term in section 
        250(c) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act 
        of 1985 (2 U.S.C. 900(c)).
            (7) Institution of higher education.--The term 
        ``institution of higher education'' has the meaning given such 
        term in section 101(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
        U.S.C. 1001(a)).
            (8) Multigenerational poverty.--The term 
        ``multigenerational poverty'' means pervasive poverty 
        transferred from caregivers to their children through 
        structural and systematic factors.
            (9) School readiness.--The term ``school readiness'' means 
        the development of--
                    (A) physical well-being and motor skills;
                    (B) social and emotional skills;
                    (C) approaches to learning;
                    (D) language skills (including early literacy and 
                early numeracy); and
                    (E) cognition and general knowledge.
            (10) State.--The term ``State'' means each of the several 
        States of the United States, the District of Columbia, and each 
        commonwealth or territory of the United States.
            (11) Vulnerable population.--The term ``vulnerable 
        population'' means a population consisting of individuals who, 
        as determined by the applicable lead agency under section 
        202(a)--
                    (A) are economically disadvantaged;
                    (B) are historically underrepresented, such as 
                racial or ethnic minorities;
                    (C) are low-income children;
                    (D) are elderly;
                    (E) are homeless;
                    (F) are reentering a community after incarceration;
                    (G) are individuals with a disability, as defined 
                in section 3 of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 
                1990 (42 U.S.C. 12102);
                    (H) are veterans, as defined in section 101 of 
                title 38, United States Code;
                    (I) are infected with the human immunodeficiency 
                virus (HIV); or
                    (J) have any other chronic health condition, 
                including a severe mental illness or substance use 
                disorder.

           TITLE I--INTERAGENCY COUNCIL ON ECONOMIC MOBILITY

SEC. 101. INTERAGENCY COUNCIL ON ECONOMIC MOBILITY.

    (a) Establishment.--There is established within the Federal 
Government an interagency council to be known as the ``Interagency 
Council on Economic Mobility'' (referred to in this Act as the 
``Council'') to carry out the objectives under subsection (b) and the 
2-generation approach, including by providing guidance and technical 
assistance and addressing questions pertaining to 2-generation programs 
and other programs engaging in efforts to break the cycle of 
multigenerational poverty.
    (b) Objectives.--The objectives of the Council are each of the 
following:
            (1) Establish an accountable and effective structure for 
        interagency collaboration, and using Federal authorities, to 
        promote family-sustaining careers and economic mobility for 
        low-income people of the United States.
            (2) Establish an ongoing system of coordination among and 
        within agencies or organizations related to programs aimed at 
        breaking the cycle of multigenerational poverty.
            (3) Identify knowledge gaps, research needs, and policy and 
        program deficiencies associated with multigenerational poverty.
            (4) Identify best practices of programs, including 2-
        generation programs, and methodologies to break the cycle of 
        multigenerational poverty.
    (c) Membership.--
            (1) Composition.--
                    (A) In general.--The Council shall be composed of 
                at least 1 designee from each of the following:
                            (i) The Office of Management and Budget.
                            (ii) The Bureau of Indian Affairs.
                            (iii) The Department of Agriculture.
                            (iv) The Department of Education.
                            (v) The Department of Health and Human 
                        Services.
                            (vi) The Department of Housing and Urban 
                        Development.
                            (vii) The Department of Justice.
                            (viii) The Department of Labor.
                            (ix) The Department of Transportation.
                            (x) The Department of the Treasury.
                            (xi) The Department of Veterans Affairs.
                            (xii) The Corporation for National and 
                        Community Service.
                            (xiii) The Domestic Policy Council.
                            (xiv) The National Economic Council.
                            (xv) The White House Office of Faith-Based 
                        and Neighborhood Partnerships, established by 
                        Executive Order 14015 (86 Fed. Reg. 10007; 
                        relating to the establishment of a White House 
                        Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood 
                        Partnerships).
                            (xvi) The Council on Economic Advisors.
                            (xvii) The Social Security Administration.
                    (B) Core membership.--From the designees under 
                subparagraph (A), the Council shall have a core set of 
                Council members to carry out a greater portion of the 
                duties under subsection (d), including coordination of 
                programs. Such core set of Council members shall be 
                composed of each designee from the following:
                            (i) The Department of Agriculture.
                            (ii) The Department of Education.
                            (iii) The Department of Health and Human 
                        Services.
                            (iv) The Department of Housing and Urban 
                        and Development.
                            (v) The Department of Justice.
                            (vi) The Department of Labor.
            (2) Designation.--
                    (A) In general.--The head of each Council agency 
                shall designate at least 1 employee described in 
                subparagraph (B) of such agency to serve as a member of 
                the Council.
                    (B) Responsibilities.--An employee described in 
                this subparagraph shall be a senior employee of the 
                agency whose responsibilities relate to policies, 
                procedures, and economics with respect to family well-
                being.
            (3) Chairperson and vice-chairperson.--
                    (A) Chairperson.--
                            (i) In general.--The Chairperson of the 
                        Council (referred to in this section as the 
                        ``Chairperson'') shall be the Secretary of 
                        Health and Human Services, or a designee of 
                        such Secretary.
                            (ii) Additional council composition 
                        selection.--In addition to the membership 
                        described in paragraph (1)(A), the Chairperson 
                        may include the heads of other Federal agencies 
                        as members of the Council as appropriate.
                    (B) Vice chairperson.--The Vice Chairperson of the 
                Council (referred to in this section as the ``Vice-
                Chairperson'') shall be a designee from the set of core 
                members under paragraph (1)(B), except clause (iii) of 
                such paragraph, as selected by the Chairperson.
    (d) Duties.--
            (1) Strategic plan to end and prevent multigenerational 
        poverty and create a cycle of family prosperity.--Not later 
        than 18 months after the date of enactment of this Act, the 
        Council shall develop, make available for public comment, and 
        submit to the President and Congress, a strategic plan to end 
        and prevent multigenerational poverty and create a cycle of 
        family prosperity. Such plan shall include activities that 
        align with the 2-generation approach and are consistent with 
        the objectives under subsection (b). The Council shall update 
        such plan annually.
            (2) Implementing and advising 2-generation programs.--The 
        Council shall--
                    (A) provide guidance to entities in developing and 
                implementing 2-generation programs and other efforts 
                taking the 2-generation approach;
                    (B) establish and institutionalize coordination 
                among Council agencies by--
                            (i) holding regular leadership meetings;
                            (ii) establishing interagency communication 
                        mechanisms;
                            (iii) forming working groups to advance 
                        policy objectives;
                            (iv) information sharing, particularly on 
                        programs and policies; and
                            (v) collaborating on priority activities of 
                        the Council, technical assistance, and guidance 
                        on coordinating the efforts of 2-generation 
                        programs;
                    (C) identify knowledge gaps, research needs, and 
                policy and program deficiencies associated with 
                multigenerational poverty through developing a learning 
                and research agenda that identifies key research 
                questions and data gaps and potential opportunities for 
                Federal, State, and local organizations to answer such 
                research questions;
                    (D) identify best practices of programs, including 
                2-generation programs, and methodologies to break the 
                cycle of multigenerational poverty, through reviewing, 
                summarizing, and disseminating using the Council 
                website, evidence specifically related to programs, 
                policies, and practices, with the purpose of addressing 
                or reducing multigenerational poverty;
                    (E) advise relevant agencies on specific 
                programmatic and policy matters related to 2-generation 
                programs;
                    (F) provide relevant subject matter expertise to 
                each lead agency under section 202(a); and
                    (G) identify and address issues that may influence 
                the implementation of 2-generation programs.
            (3) Technical assistance.--The Council may provide 
        technical assistance to grantees of Federal programs through--
                    (A) identifying barriers for 2-generation programs 
                that require waivers to Federal statutory, regulatory, 
                or administrative requirements and providing 
                recommendations to Congress regarding waivers to such 
                statutory requirements;
                    (B) addressing statutory, regulatory, or 
                administrative barriers to grantees of Federal programs 
                collaborating to carry out a 2-generation program and 
                making recommendations to Congress to address 
                legislative barriers to such collaboration;
                    (C) gathering and compiling stakeholder input on 
                effective 2-generation approaches;
                    (D) identifying resources to support 2-generation 
                programs; and
                    (E) providing resources with respect to the 2-
                generation approach to 2-generation programs and the 
                public in the form of briefs, toolkits, or other forms 
                of technical assistance.
            (4) Stakeholder convening.--
                    (A) Advice on addressing multigenerational 
                poverty.--The Chairperson, on behalf of the Council, 
                shall identify and invite individuals from diverse 
                entities, including advocates, individuals or families 
                experiencing poverty, individuals from nonprofit and 
                faith-based organizations, small businesses, and 
                philanthropic organizations, and researchers from 
                institutions of higher education, to provide the 
                Council with advice and knowledge pertaining to 
                addressing multigenerational poverty.
                    (B) Best practices and information gathering.--The 
                Council shall have the authority to convene 
                stakeholders across programs carrying out or supporting 
                the 2-generation approach for the purpose of sharing 
                best practices and gathering information on such 
                programs. Such stakeholders shall include experts with 
                respect to the 2-generation approach and may include 
                representatives from philanthropic organizations, 
                Federal, State, and local governments, nonprofit 
                organizations, and the private sector.
                    (C) Exemption from faca.--The Federal Advisory 
                Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.) shall not apply to any 
                group convened by the Council to provide advice to the 
                Council.
            (5) Reports to congress.--
                    (A) Annual reports.--Not later than 1 year after 
                the date of enactment of this Act, and annually 
                thereafter, the Council shall prepare and submit to 
                Congress a report that includes information on the 
                progress and results of each 2-generation program 
                established under section 201(a) in achieving the 
                appropriate quantitative levels for the outcomes 
                described in section 201(b) that each program is 
                designed to achieve.
                    (B) Biannual reports.--Not later than 1 year after 
                the date of enactment of this Act, and every 2 years 
                thereafter, the Council shall prepare and submit to 
                Congress a report that includes--
                            (i) the objectives of the Council;
                            (ii) information on the overall progress of 
                        the Council in ending and preventing 
                        multigenerational poverty; and
                            (iii) legislative policy recommendations, 
                        including addressing any needs for greater 
                        legislative authority to meet the objectives of 
                        this Act.
            (6) Available funding.--Not later than 90 days after the 
        date of enactment of this Act, each Council agency shall 
        identify, document, and submit to the Chairperson a list of 
        funding sources that could support 2-generation programs in 
        achieving the appropriate quantitative levels for the outcomes 
        described in section 201(b).

SEC. 102. INFORMATION DISPLAYED ON COUNCIL WEBSITE.

    (a) In General.--The Council shall ensure that the information 
listed in subsection (b) is made available to the public and displayed 
on the official website of the Council.
    (b) Information.--The information listed in this subsection is each 
of the following:
            (1) The national strategic plan required under section 
        101(d)(1).
            (2) Information on 2-generation programs, including--
                    (A) the outcomes described in section 201(b) that 
                each program established under section 201(a) is 
                designed to achieve, and the appropriate quantitative 
                levels for achieving such outcomes;
                    (B) national partners consisting of private and 
                government entities participating in (or interested in 
                participating in), including by funding, a 2-generation 
                program;
                    (C) a description of the 2-generation program 
                described in title III, including detailed information 
                on the performance partnership pilots approved under 
                section 302(a), the discretionary appropriations used 
                to carry out such program, and any waivers issued under 
                section 202(d) with respect to such program; and
                    (D) a description of any 2-generation program 
                established under section 201(a)(2).
            (3) Each report, including the data contained in each such 
        report, that--
                    (A) the Council submits to Congress under section 
                101(d)(5);
                    (B) the Comptroller General of the United States 
                submits under section 303(c); and
                    (C) is submitted to the Council under section 
                303(d).
            (4) Information describing the best practices (as 
        determined by the Council) of the 2-generation programs, and 
        other programs engaging in efforts to break the cycle of 
        multigenerational poverty and create a cycle of family 
        prosperity, to enable interested entities to emulate such best 
        practices in any efforts to end or prevent multigenerational 
        poverty.

SEC. 103. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There are authorized to be appropriated for each of fiscal years 
2023 through 2027 such sums as may be necessary to carry out this 
title.

                     TITLE II--2-GENERATION PROGRAM

SEC. 201. PROGRAMS.

    (a) In General.--The Council shall establish, as 2-generation 
programs, each of the following:
            (1) The 2-generation performance partnership pilot program 
        described in title III.
            (2) Such other 2-generation programs in accordance with 
        this title.
    (b) Outcome Measures.--
            (1) Establishment.--The Council shall establish clearly 
        defined outcome measures for each 2-generation program 
        established under subsection (a) and the appropriate 
        quantitative levels for achieving such outcomes.
            (2) Primary outcomes.--Each 2-generation program 
        established under subsection (a) shall be designed to achieve 
        primary outcomes consisting of both of the following:
                    (A) Improved academic achievement of children and 
                increased earning potential of caregivers, including 
                enhanced--
                            (i) school readiness of children from birth 
                        through age 5; and
                            (ii) educational or skill attainment of 
                        caregivers, including through enrollment in an 
                        apprenticeship program.
                    (B) Two or more of the following outcomes:
                            (i) Improved financial stability of 
                        families, including increased financial 
                        capability of, and savings for, caregivers and 
                        children, achieved through increased earning 
                        potential and enhanced financial decision-
                        making skills of caregivers and children.
                            (ii) Increased access for caregivers and 
                        children to programs that foster healthy 
                        caregiver-child relationships.
                            (iii) Increased opportunities for all 
                        family members to participate in programs that 
                        address the mental health needs of caregivers 
                        and children.
                            (iv) Improved education of caregivers and 
                        children on obesity prevention and nutrition, 
                        and a subsequent reduction in rates of obesity 
                        and related diseases among caregivers and 
                        children.
                            (v) Improved maternal and child health, 
                        including social and emotional health and 
                        development of mothers and children.
                            (vi) Additional outcomes that reflect other 
                        indicators of family prosperity, success, and 
                        stability, such as stable housing, as 
                        identified by the Council for children and 
                        caregivers.
            (3) Cost-effective outcomes.--In achieving the primary 
        outcomes described in paragraph (2), each 2-generation program 
        established under subsection (a) shall make better use of 
        budgetary resources to seek enhanced outcomes that are most 
        cost-effective for regions, communities, or vulnerable 
        populations.

SEC. 202. GENERAL PROVISIONS.

    (a) Lead Agencies.--
            (1) 2-generation performance partnership pilot program.--
        The Department of Health and Human Services shall be the lead 
        agency for the purpose of carrying out the 2-generation program 
        described in title III.
            (2) Other newly established 2-generation programs.--The 
        Director of the Office of Management and Budget shall, in 
        collaboration with the Council, designate a lead agency from 
        among the Council agencies for the purpose of carrying out any 
        other 2-generation program established as described in section 
        201(a)(2).
    (b) Agency Head Determinations.--
            (1) In general.--A Council agency may participate (directly 
        or by providing discretionary appropriations that have been 
        appropriated to such agency) in a 2-generation program 
        established under section 201(a) only upon providing a written 
        determination by the head of such agency to the applicable lead 
        agency under subsection (a), subject to paragraph (3), based on 
        the best available information, transferring resources to 
        participate in such program will not--
                    (A) result in such Council agency reducing any 
                services (funded in whole or in part by the 
                discretionary appropriations of such agency) that such 
                agency provided prior to participating in the 2-
                generation program; and
                    (B) otherwise adversely affect vulnerable 
                populations that are recipients of such services.
            (2) Consideration.--In making the determination under 
        paragraph (1), the head of the Council agency may take into 
        consideration the discretionary appropriations that will be 
        used in the 2-generation program.
            (3) Submission to full council.--In the case that the 
        Council agency seeking to participate in a 2-generation program 
        established under section 201(a) is the applicable lead agency 
        under subsection (c), the Council agency shall submit the 
        written determination required under paragraph (1) to the 
        Council.
    (c) Transfer Authority.--
            (1) 2-generation account.--The applicable lead agency under 
        subsection (a) may establish an account for the purpose of 
        carrying out a 2-generation program established under section 
        201(a), allowing multiple Council agencies participating in the 
        2-generation program to combine discretionary appropriations 
        for the purpose of carrying out the 2-generation program.
            (2) Transfers.--Subject to the written approval of the 
        Director of the Office of Management and Budget and paragraph 
        (4), the head of each Council agency participating in a 2-
        generation program established under section 201(a) may 
        transfer discretionary appropriations of the agency to the 
        account established under paragraph (1), to be used for such 2-
        generation program.
            (3) Availability.--
                    (A) Purposes.--Subject to the waiver authority 
                under subsection (d), the discretionary appropriations 
                transferred under paragraph (2) shall remain available 
                for the same purposes for which the appropriations were 
                originally appropriated.
                    (B) Obligation by the federal government.--The 
                discretionary appropriations transferred under 
                paragraph (2) shall remain available for obligation by 
                the Federal Government for the period for which such 
                appropriations were permitted to remain available, as 
                of the day before the date of the transfer.
            (4) Notice requirement.--Not later than 30 days prior to 
        transferring any discretionary appropriations under paragraph 
        (2), the head of the Council agency transferring the 
        appropriations shall provide written notice of the transfer to 
        the Committee on Appropriations of the House of 
        Representatives, the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate, 
        and other appropriate committees of Congress.
    (d) Waiver Authority.--
            (1) In general.--To reduce administrative burdens 
        (including application and reporting requirements) and subject 
        to other provisions of this Act (but notwithstanding subsection 
        (c)(3)(A)), the head of a Council agency participating in a 2-
        generation program established under section 201(a) may waive 
        (in whole or in part) the application, solely with respect to 
        discretionary appropriations used in such 2-generation program, 
        of any statutory, regulatory, or administrative requirement 
        that such agency head--
                    (A) is authorized to waive (in accordance with the 
                terms and conditions of the Federal law authorizing 
                such appropriations); or
                    (B) would not otherwise be authorized to waive, but 
                for the application of this subsection.
            (2) Limitations.--
                    (A) In general.--An agency head described in 
                paragraph (1) shall not waive any requirement related 
                to nondiscrimination, wage and labor standards, or 
                allocation of funds to State or sub-State levels.
                    (B) Requirements.--For the waiver of any statutory, 
                regulatory, or administrative requirement described in 
                paragraph (1)(B), an agency head described in paragraph 
                (1) shall--
                            (i) prior to granting the waiver, submit to 
                        the applicable lead agency under subsection (a) 
                        a written determination, with respect to the 
                        discretionary appropriations described in 
                        paragraph (1), that the granting of such waiver 
                        for purposes of the 2-generation program--
                                    (I) is consistent with the 
                                statutory purposes of the Federal 
                                program for which such discretionary 
                                appropriations were appropriated and 
                                the other provisions of this section, 
                                as well as the written determination by 
                                such agency head under subsection 
                                (b)(1);
                                    (II) is necessary to achieve the 
                                appropriate quantitative levels for the 
                                outcomes described in section 201(b) 
                                that the program is designed to 
                                achieve, and is no broader in scope 
                                than is necessary to achieve such 
                                levels; and
                                    (III) will result in--
                                            (aa) realizing efficiencies 
                                        by simplifying reporting 
                                        burdens or reducing 
                                        administrative barriers with 
                                        respect to such discretionary 
                                        appropriations; or
                                            (bb) increasing the ability 
                                        of individuals to obtain access 
                                        to services that are provided 
                                        through such discretionary 
                                        appropriations; and
                            (ii) provide at least 60 days of advance 
                        written notice to the Committee on 
                        Appropriations of the House of Representatives, 
                        the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate, 
                        and other appropriate committees of Congress.
    (e) Prohibited Use of Assessment for Young Children.--To 
participate in a 2-generation program established under section 201(a), 
an entity shall provide an assurance that the entity will not assess 
the achievement of children from birth through grade 2, or programs 
providing services to such children, by engaging in activities that 
include--
            (1) assessing such children or programs in a manner that 
        provides or leads to any reward or sanction for any individual 
        child, teacher, early childhood education program, as defined 
        in section 103 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
        1003), or school;
            (2) using a single method for assessing the effectiveness 
        of a program serving such children as the primary or only 
        method for assessing such program; or
            (3) evaluating such children for any purpose other than 
        to--
                    (A) improve instruction or classroom environment;
                    (B) target high-quality, evidence-based 
                professional development;
                    (C) determine the need for health (including mental 
                health), disability, or family support services;
                    (D) inform the quality improvement process for such 
                programs at the State level;
                    (E) evaluate such a program for the purposes of 
                program improvement and providing information to the 
                caregivers of children participating in such program; 
                or
                    (F) provide research conducted as part of a 
                national evaluation.

            TITLE III--PERFORMANCE PARTNERSHIP PILOT PROGRAM

SEC. 301. DEFINITIONS.

    In this title:
            (1) Lead agency.--The term ``lead agency'' means the 
        Department of Health and Human Services.
            (2) Performance partnership pilot.--The term ``performance 
        partnership pilot'' means a project that--
                    (A) seeks to identify, through a demonstration, 
                cost-effective strategies for providing services at the 
                State, regional, or local level;
                    (B) involves 2 or more Federal programs 
                (administered by one or more Federal agencies)--
                            (i) with related policy goals; and
                            (ii) at least one of which is administered 
                        (in whole or in part) by a State, local 
                        government, or Tribal government;
                    (C) carries out the 2-generation approach by 
                achieving the outcomes described in section 201(b), 
                including making better use of budgetary resources to 
                seek enhanced outcomes that are cost-effective for 
                regions, communities, or vulnerable populations; and
                    (D) consistent with this title, allows--
                            (i) an entity participating in the project 
                        to combine multiple sources of funding acquired 
                        by the entity; and
                            (ii) multiple entities participating in the 
                        project to combine sources of funding acquired 
                        by the entities.

SEC. 302. PERFORMANCE PARTNERSHIP PILOTS.

    (a) Approval of Pilots.--In accordance with title II and this 
title, the lead agency shall approve not more than 5 performance 
partnership pilots under the program described in this title, by 
entering into performance partnership agreements under subsection (c).
    (b) Use of Discretionary Appropriations.--Subject to section 202 
and subsections (a) and (c), a Council agency may use discretionary 
appropriations appropriated to such agency to participate in one or 
more of the approved performance partnership pilots.
    (c) Performance Partnership Agreements.--
            (1) In general.--A Council agency may use discretionary 
        appropriations to participate in a performance partnership 
        pilot only in accordance with the terms of a performance 
        partnership agreement, described in paragraph (3), that is 
        entered into between--
                    (A) subject to paragraph (2), the lead agency on 
                behalf of each Council agency participating in such 
                pilot; and
                    (B) a representative of each State, local 
                government, or Tribal government that has applied for 
                participation in such pilot, in accordance with 
                application procedures established by the lead agency.
            (2) Limitation.--The lead agency may only enter into an 
        agreement under paragraph (1) upon receiving, from the head of 
        each Council agency to be participating in such pilot, a 
        written concurrence to enter into such agreement, including an 
        agreement that such Council agency will comply with all 
        requirements under this Act for participating in such pilot.
            (3) Terms of the agreement.--A performance partnership 
        agreement entered into under paragraph (1) shall specify, at a 
        minimum, each of the following:
                    (A) The length of such agreement, which shall end 
                not later than 5 fiscal years after the date of 
                enactment of this Act.
                    (B) The Federal programs and federally funded 
                services that are involved in such pilot.
                    (C) The discretionary appropriations that are being 
                used in the performance partnership pilot (by the 
                respective Federal account identifier, and the total 
                amount from such account that is being used in such 
                pilot), and the period of availability for obligation 
                by the Federal Government of such funds.
                    (D) The non-Federal funds that are being used in 
                such pilot, by source (which may include private funds 
                and governmental funds) and by amount.
                    (E) The State, local, or Tribal programs that are 
                involved in such pilot.
                    (F) The populations to be served by such pilot.
                    (G) The cost-effective Federal oversight procedures 
                that will be used for the purpose of maintaining the 
                necessary level of accountability for the use of the 
                discretionary appropriations in such pilot.
                    (H) The cost-effective State, local, or Tribal 
                oversight procedures that will be used for the purpose 
                of maintaining the necessary level of accountability 
                for the use of the discretionary appropriations in such 
                pilot.
                    (I) The outcomes described in section 201(b) that 
                such pilot is designed to achieve and the appropriate 
                quantitative levels for achieving such outcomes.
                    (J) The appropriate, reliable, and objective 
                outcome-measurement methodology that will be used in 
                carrying out such pilot, to determine the success of 
                such pilot in achieving any outcome, and the 
                appropriate quantitative level for achieving such 
                outcome, specified under subparagraph (I).
                    (K) Any statutory, regulatory, or administrative 
                requirements related to a Federal mandatory program 
                that are barriers to achieving any outcome or level 
                specified under subparagraph (I).
                    (L) In a case in which, during the course of such 
                pilot, it is determined that the pilot is not achieving 
                the appropriate quantitative levels for the outcomes 
                specified under subparagraph (I)--
                            (i) any consequence that will result from 
                        the failure to achieve such levels, with 
                        respect to the discretionary appropriations 
                        that are being used in such pilot; and
                            (ii) the corrective actions that will be 
                        taken to increase the likelihood that such 
                        pilot, upon completion, will have achieved such 
                        levels.
                    (M) The design of a comparison population group for 
                purposes of comparing the outcomes specified under 
                subparagraph (I) for individuals participating in such 
                pilot with similar individuals who did not participate 
                in such pilot.
    (d) Coordinators.--
            (1) In general.--The lead agency shall award not more than 
        $100,000 to each performance partnership pilot approved under 
        this section to fund staff to lead coordination for such 
        performance partnership pilot.
            (2) Amount.--The amount of each award under paragraph (1) 
        may take into account the prevailing wage rate in accordance 
        with the Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics of the 
        Bureau of Labor Statistics for an occupation determined by the 
        Secretary of Labor to be comparable to the position of a 
        coordinator of a performance partnership pilot approved under 
        this section for the locality in which the coordinator will be 
        hired.
            (3) Authorization of appropriations.--There are authorized 
        to be appropriated to carry out this subsection such sums as 
        may be necessary for each fiscal year.

SEC. 303. REPORTING; EVALUATIONS.

    (a) State, Local Government, or Tribal Government Reports.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 90 days after the first day 
        of each fiscal year, a State, local government, or Tribal 
        government participating (in whole or in part) in a performance 
        partnership pilot shall submit a report to the lead agency.
            (2) Contents.--The report under paragraph (1) shall include 
        information on--
                    (A) the progress of such performance partnership 
                pilot in achieving the appropriate quantitative levels 
                for the outcomes the pilot is designed to achieve under 
                section 302(c)(3)(I), including data supporting such 
                progress and regarding the comparison population group 
                described in section 302(c)(3)(M); and
                    (B) the discretionary appropriations, and any other 
                funds, used to carry out such performance partnership 
                pilot.
    (b) Council Agency Reports.--Not later than 120 days after the 
first day of each fiscal year, each Council agency participating in a 
performance partnership pilot shall submit a report to the lead agency 
in such manner and containing such information about the performance 
partnership pilot as the lead agency may require.
    (c) Evaluation by Comptroller General.--
            (1) In general.--The Comptroller General of the United 
        States shall, annually for 6 fiscal years after the date of 
        enactment of this Act, conduct an evaluation of the 2-
        generation program described in this title, which shall include 
        information describing--
                    (A) the criteria used by the lead agency to approve 
                performance partnership pilots;
                    (B) the States, local governments, and Tribal 
                governments that participated in any performance 
                partnership pilot;
                    (C) how each such State, local government, and 
                Tribal government used funds received under such 
                performance partnership pilot;
                    (D) the success of each performance partnership 
                pilot in achieving the appropriate quantitative levels 
                for the outcomes the pilot is designed to achieve under 
                section 302(c)(3)(I); and
                    (E) the ability of each performance partnership 
                pilot to be replicated or expanded to serve more 
                families.
            (2) Submission.--Not later than 90 days after the first day 
        of each fiscal year, the Comptroller General of the United 
        States shall submit a report containing the evaluation 
        conducted under paragraph (1) to the lead agency and the 
        Council.
    (d) Lead Agency Report to the Council.--Not later than 180 days 
after the first day of each fiscal year, the lead agency shall submit a 
report to the Council that evaluates the information provided in the 
reports under subsections (a), (b), and (c). The Council shall include 
such evaluation in the reports under section 101(d)(5)(A).

SEC. 304. APPLICABILITY TO EXISTING PERFORMANCE PARTNERSHIP PILOTS.

    Nothing in this Act shall be construed to apply to any performance 
partnership pilot authorized under any of the following:
            (1) Section 526 of the Departments of Labor, Health and 
        Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies 
        Appropriations Act, 2014 (Public Law 113-76).
            (2) Section 524 of the Departments of Labor, Health and 
        Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies 
        Appropriations Act, 2015 (Public Law 113-235).
            (3) Section 525 of the Departments of Labor, Health and 
        Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies 
        Appropriations Act, 2016 (Public Law 114-113).
            (4) Section 525 of the Departments of Labor, Health and 
        Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies 
        Appropriations Act, 2017 (Public Law 115-31).
            (5) Section 525 of the Departments of Labor, Health and 
        Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies 
        Appropriations Act, 2018 (Public Law 115-141).
            (6) Section 524 of the Department Health and Human Services 
        Appropriations Act, 2019 (Public Law 115-245).
            (7) Section 524 of the Departments of Labor, Health and 
        Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies 
        Appropriations Act, 2020 (Public Law 116-94).
            (8) Section 524 of the Departments of Labor, Health and 
        Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies 
        Appropriations Act, 2021 (Public Law 116-260).
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