[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 114 (Wednesday, July 10, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4489-S4490]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 2197. Mr. REED (for himself and Mrs. Britt) submitted an amendment

[[Page S4490]]

intended to be proposed by him to the bill S. 4638, to authorize 
appropriations for fiscal year 2025 for military activities of the 
Department of Defense, for military construction, and for defense 
activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military personnel 
strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes; which was 
ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       At the appropriate place, insert the following:

     SEC. _____. FAMILY SELF-SUFFICIENCY ESCROW EXPANSION PILOT 
                   PROGRAM.

       Section 23 of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 
     U.S.C. 1437u) is amended by adding at the end the following:
       ``(p) Escrow Expansion Pilot Program.--
       ``(1) Definitions.--In this subsection:
       ``(A) Covered family.--The term `covered family' means a 
     family that receives direct assistance under section 8 or 9 
     of this Act and is enrolled in the pilot program established 
     under this subsection.
       ``(B) Eligible entity.--The term `eligible entity' means an 
     entity described in subsection (c)(2).
       ``(C) Escrow account authorization.--The term `escrow 
     account authorization' means the number of escrow accounts 
     the Secretary authorizes eligible entities selected under 
     this subsection to create and manage in accordance with 
     paragraph (3).
       ``(2) Establishment.--The Secretary shall establish a pilot 
     program under which the Secretary, through a competitive 
     process, shall select not more than 25 eligible entities to 
     establish and manage escrow accounts for not more than 5,000 
     covered families, in accordance with this subsection.
       ``(3) Escrow accounts.--
       ``(A) In general.--An eligible entity selected to 
     participate in the pilot program created under this 
     subsection--
       ``(i) shall establish, on behalf of each covered family, an 
     interest-bearing escrow account and place into the account an 
     amount equal to any increase in the amount of rent paid by 
     the family in accordance with the provisions of section 3, 
     8(o), or 8(y), as applicable, that is attributable to 
     increases in earned income by the covered family during the 
     participation of the family in the pilot program; and
       ``(ii) notwithstanding any other provision of law, may use 
     funds it controls under section 8 or 9 for purposes of making 
     the escrow deposit for covered families assisted under, or 
     residing in units assisted under, section 8 or 9 of this 
     title, respectively, provided such funds are offset by the 
     increase in the amount of rent paid by the covered family.
       ``(B) Income limitation.--The Secretary shall not escrow 
     any amounts for any covered family whose adjusted income 
     exceeds 80 percent of the area median income.
       ``(C) Withdrawals.--A covered family shall be able to 
     access funds in an escrow account established under this 
     pilot program--
       ``(i) after the covered family ceases to receive income 
     assistance under Federal or State welfare programs; and
       ``(ii)(I) not earlier than the date that is 5 years after 
     the date on which the escrow account is established;
       ``(II) not later than the date that is 7 years after the 
     date on which the escrow account is established, if the 
     covered family chooses to continue to use the pilot program 
     created under this subsection after the date that is 5 years 
     after the date on which the escrow account is established;
       ``(III) on the date the covered family ceases to receive 
     housing assistance under section 8 or 9, if such date is 
     earlier than 5 years after the date on which the escrow 
     account is established; or
       ``(IV) under other circumstances in which the Secretary 
     determines an exemption for good cause is warranted.
       ``(4) Effect of increases in family income.--Any increase 
     in the earned income of a covered family during the 
     enrollment of the family in the pilot program established 
     under this subsection may not be considered as income or a 
     resource for purposes of eligibility of the family for other 
     benefits, or amount of benefits payable to the family, under 
     any program administered by the Secretary.
       ``(5) Application.--
       ``(A) In general.--An eligible entity seeking to 
     participate in the pilot program under this subsection shall 
     submit to the Secretary an application--
       ``(i) at such time, in such manner, and containing such 
     information as the Secretary may require by notice; and
       ``(ii) that includes the number of proposed covered 
     families to be served by the eligible entity under this 
     subsection.
       ``(B) Geographic and entity variety.--The Secretary shall 
     ensure that eligible entities selected to participate in the 
     pilot program under this subsection--
       ``(i) are located across various States and in both urban 
     and rural areas; and
       ``(ii) vary by size and type, including both public housing 
     agencies and private owners of projects receiving project-
     based rental assistance under section 8.
       ``(6) Notification and opt-out.--An eligible entity 
     participating in the pilot program under this subsection 
     shall--
       ``(A) notify covered families of their enrollment in the 
     pilot program under this subsection;
       ``(B) provide covered families with a detailed description 
     of the pilot program, including how the pilot program will 
     impact their rent and finances; and
       ``(C) provide covered families with the ability to elect 
     not to participate in the pilot program--
       ``(i) not less than 2 weeks before the date on which the 
     escrow account is established under paragraph (3); and
       ``(ii) at any point during the duration of the pilot 
     program.
       ``(7) Maximum rents.--During the term of participation by a 
     covered family in the pilot program under this subsection, 
     the amount of rent paid by the enrolled family shall be 
     calculated under the rental provisions of section 3 or 8(o), 
     as applicable.
       ``(8) Pilot program timeline.--
       ``(A) Awards.--Not later than 18 months after the date of 
     enactment of this subsection, the Secretary shall select the 
     eligible entities to participate in the pilot program.
       ``(B) Establishment and term of accounts.--An eligible 
     entity selected to participate in the pilot program under 
     this subsection shall--
       ``(i) not later than 6 months after selection and receipt 
     of escrow account authority, establish escrow accounts under 
     paragraph (3) for covered families; and
       ``(ii) maintain those escrow accounts for not less than 5 
     years, or until the date the family ceases to receive 
     assistance under section 8 or 9, and, at the discretion of 
     the covered family, not more than 7 years after the date on 
     which the escrow account is established.
       ``(9) Nonparticipation and housing assistance.--
       ``(A) In general.--Assistance under section 8 or 9 for a 
     family that elects not to participate in the pilot program 
     shall not be delayed by reason of such election.
       ``(B) No termination.--Housing assistance may not be 
     terminated as a consequence of participating, or not 
     participating, in the pilot program under this subsection for 
     any period of time.
       ``(10) Study.--Not later than 7 years after the date the 
     Secretary selects eligible entities to participate in the 
     pilot program under this subsection, the Secretary shall 
     conduct a study and submit to the Committee on Banking, 
     Housing, and Urban Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on 
     Financial Services of the House of Representatives a report 
     on outcomes for covered families under the pilot program 
     under this subsection, which shall evaluate the effectiveness 
     of the pilot program in assisting families to achieve 
     economic independence and self-sufficiency, and the impact 
     coaching and supportive services, or the lack thereof, had on 
     individual incomes.
       ``(11) Termination.--The pilot program under this 
     subsection shall terminate on the date that is 10 years after 
     the date of enactment of this subsection.
       ``(12) Authorization of appropriations.--
       ``(A) In general.--There is authorized to appropriated to 
     the Secretary for fiscal year 2025 $5,000,000 to carry out 
     program administration and evaluation under this subsection.
       ``(B) Availability.--Any amounts appropriated under this 
     subsection shall remain available until expended.''.
                                 ______