[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8697 Introduced in House (IH)]

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118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 8697

   To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to conduct a 
demonstration project to test the impact of a guaranteed monthly income 
on the health of individuals enrolled for medical assistance under the 
                           Medicaid program.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             June 11, 2024

 Mr. Schiff (for himself, Mrs. Watson Coleman, Ms. Norton, Mr. Mullin, 
  and Mr. Robert Garcia of California) introduced the following bill; 
         which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to conduct a 
demonstration project to test the impact of a guaranteed monthly income 
on the health of individuals enrolled for medical assistance under the 
                           Medicaid program.

    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 ``Guaranteed Additional Income for 
families in Need Act of 2024'' or the ``GAIN Act of 2024''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress makes the following findings:
            (1) Medical research in recent decades has demonstrated the 
        significant impact of income volatility on individuals' health.
            (2) Research has found that income volatility can lead to 
        increased incidence of cardiovascular disease, depression and 
        anxiety, and cognitive decline.
            (3) From February 2019 to January 2021, the city of 
        Stockton, California implemented a universal basic income pilot 
        program. Participants reported improved physical, mental, and 
        emotional health as a result of increased financial assistance, 
        according to the final program evaluation published in the 
        Journal of Urban Health.

SEC. 3. GUARANTEED MONTHLY INCOME DEMONSTRATION PROJECT.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Secretary of Health and Human Services (in this 
section referred to as the ``Secretary'') shall conduct a 5-year 
demonstration project (in this section referred to as the ``Project'') 
under which a participating eligible entity shall provide a guaranteed 
monthly income to individuals enrolled for medical assistance under the 
Medicaid program under title XIX of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 
1396 et seq.), and measure the impact of such guaranteed monthly income 
on the health of such participants.
    (b) Application.--An eligible entity seeking to participate in the 
Project under this section shall submit to the Secretary an application 
at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the 
Secretary may require, including information with respect to the manner 
in which such entity will distribute the guaranteed monthly income.
    (c) Project Design.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary shall award not less than 10 
        grants to eligible entities on a competitive basis to provide 
        participants in the Project with a guaranteed monthly income.
            (2) Option to target subpopulation.--An eligible entity 
        participating in the Project may choose to focus on a 
        particular subpopulation of individuals enrolled for medical 
        assistance under title XIX of the Social Security Act.
            (3) Guaranteed monthly income.--
                    (A) Participant requirements.--To participate in 
                the Project, a participant shall be enrolled for 
                medical assistance under title XIX at the time such 
                participant is selected for participation.
                    (B) Distribution of monthly income.--
                            (i) In general.--Each participant shall 
                        receive a monthly payment, in an amount of not 
                        less than $500, as determined by the eligible 
                        entity through which such participant is 
                        enrolled for participation in the Project.
                            (ii) Method of distribution.--Monthly 
                        payments made under the Project shall be made 
                        by direct deposit or paper check.
                            (iii) No tax liability.--Any payments made 
                        to a participant under clause (i) shall not be 
                        considered income for purposes of the Internal 
                        Revenue Code of 1986.
                            (iv) No conditions on use of payments.--An 
                        eligible entity may not put any conditions on 
                        how participants spend the monthly payments 
                        made under the Project, and the manner in which 
                        a participant spends such payments shall not 
                        impact the eligibility of such participant to 
                        participate in the Project.
            (4) Limitation on use of funds.--Not more than 20 percent 
        of the total funds awarded to an eligible entity under this 
        section may used for administrative costs incurred by such 
        eligible entity in implementing the Project, or for outreach 
        and education efforts made by such entity with respect to such 
        Project.
    (d) Eligible Entity.--For purposes of this subsection, an eligible 
entity means one of the following entities:
            (1) Any of the following units of local government:
                    (A) A county.
                    (B) A borough.
                    (C) A municipality.
                    (D) A city.
                    (E) A town.
                    (F) A township.
                    (G) A parish.
                    (H) A local public authority, including any public 
                housing agency (as defined in section 3(b) of the 
                United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437(b)).
                    (I) A special district.
                    (J) A school district.
                    (K) An intrastate district.
                    (L) A council of governments, without regard to 
                whether such council is incorporated as a nonprofit 
                corporation under State law.
                    (M) Any other agency or instrumentality of a multi-
                State, regional, or intra-State or local government.
            (2) An Indian Tribe or Tribal organization (as such terms 
        are defined in section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and 
        Education Assistance Act).
            (3) A nonprofit organization.
    (e) Surveys.--
            (1) Baseline survey.--Prior to the first distribution of 
        guaranteed monthly income payment under the Project, each 
        eligible entity shall conduct a baseline survey of the 
        participants receiving such income from such entity that 
        includes--
                    (A) the demographic data of each participant, 
                including the age, race, ethnicity, employment status, 
                marital status, income (including individual income and 
                total household income) and number of dependents with 
                respect to such participant; and
                    (B) the financial circumstances of each participant 
                and the impact of those circumstances on such 
                participant's mental health and physical health.
            (2) Ongoing survey.--Not less than 3 times during each 
        calendar year in which an entity is participating in the 
        project under this subsection, each such entity shall survey 
        each participant receiving monthly payments from such entity to 
        determine--
                    (A) how the monthly payments are spent, including 
                groceries, rent, utility bills, or other expenses; and
                    (B) the impact, if any, on--
                            (i) the employment status of each 
                        participant;
                            (ii) the mental health and physical health 
                        of each participant;
                            (iii) the mental health and physical health 
                        of the members of each participant's household; 
                        and
                            (iv) the status of each participant's 
                        financial circumstances, including any impact 
                        to such participant's credit score, ability to 
                        grow savings, or ability to make financial 
                        investments.
            (3) Guidance.--Prior to the first distribution of 
        guaranteed monthly income payment under the Project, the 
        Secretary shall issue guidance to each eligible entity 
        participating in the Project on conducting the surveys required 
        under this subsection. Such guidance shall include 
        recommendations for how to determine the financial 
        circumstances, mental health, and physical health of a 
        participant for purposes of such surveys.
    (f) Reports.--
            (1) Reports to secretary.--Not later than 1 year after the 
        date on which the first guaranteed monthly income funds are 
        distributed in accordance with subsection (c)(3)(B), and 
        annually thereafter, each eligible entity shall submit to the 
        Secretary a report on the Project, including the information 
        collected from the surveys described in subsection (e).
            (2) Reports to congress.--Not later than 2 years after the 
        first report is submitted under paragraph (1), and every 2 
        years thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a 
        report on the Project, including a year-over-year analysis of 
        the survey data submitted to the Secretary under paragraph (1), 
        and any recommendations with respect to potential legislative 
        action.
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