[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3131 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 3131
To amend and reauthorize the Community Services Block Grant Act.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
May 1, 2025
Mr. Thompson of Pennsylvania (for himself and Ms. Bonamici) introduced
the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education
and Workforce
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend and reauthorize the Community Services Block Grant Act.
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 ``Community Services Block Grant
Improvement Act of 2025''.
SEC. 2. PURPOSES AND GOALS.
Section 672(1) of the Community Services Block Grant Act (42 U.S.C.
9901(1)) is amended to read as follows:
``(1) to reduce poverty in the United States by supporting
the activities of community action agencies and other community
services network organizations that improve the economic
security of low-income and working individuals and families,
empower them to become fully sufficient, and create new
economic opportunities in the communities where they live;
and''.
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.
Section 673 of the Community Services Block Grant Act (42 U.S.C.
9902) is amended by striking paragraphs (1) through (5), and inserting
the following:
``(1) Agency-wide strategic plan.--The term `agency-wide
strategic plan' means a plan that has been adopted by an
eligible entity in the previous 5 years and establishes goals
that include meeting needs identified by the entity in
consultation with residents of the community through a process
of comprehensive community needs assessment.
``(2) Poverty line.--
``(A) In general.--The term `poverty line' means
the official poverty guideline calculated by the
Secretary from the most recent data available from the
Bureau of the Census. The Secretary shall revise the
poverty line annually (or at any shorter interval the
Secretary determines to be feasible and desirable). The
required revision shall be accomplished by multiplying
the official poverty thresholds from the Bureau of the
Census by the percentage change in the Consumer Price
Index for All Urban Consumers during the annual or
other interval immediately preceding the time at which
the revision is made.''.
(B) Eligibility criterion.--200 percent of the
poverty line shall be used as a criterion of
eligibility for services, assistance, or resources
provided directly to individuals or families through
the grant program established under this subtitle.
``(3) Community action agency.--The term `community action
agency' means an eligible entity (which meets the requirements
of paragraph (1) or (2), as appropriate, of section 676B) that
delivers multiple programs, projects, and services to a variety
of low-income individuals and families.
``(4) Community action plan.--The term `community action
plan' means a detailed plan, including a budget, that is
adopted by an eligible entity, for expenditures of funds
appropriated for a fiscal year under this subtitle for the
activities supported directly or indirectly by such funds.
``(5) Community services network organization.--The term
`community services network organization' means any of the
following organizations funded under this subtitle:
``(A) A State.
``(B) An eligible entity.
``(C) An association with a membership composed
primarily of States, eligible entities, or associations
of States or eligible entities.
``(6) Eligible entity.--The Term `eligible entity' means an
entity that--
``(A) is an eligible entity described in section
673(1) (as in effect immediately before the date of the
enactment of the Community Services Block Grant
Improvement Act of 2025), or has been designated by the
process described in section 676A (including an
organization serving migrant or seasonal farm workers
that is so described or designated); and
``(B) has a tripartite board described in paragraph
(1) or (2), as appropriate, of section 686B.
``(7) Private, nonprofit organization.--The term `private,
nonprofit organization' includes a religious organization, to
which section 679 applies.
``(8) Secretary.--The term `Secretary' means the Secretary
of Health and Human Services.
``(9) State.--The term `State' means each of the several
States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto
Rico, Guam, the United States Virgin Islands, American Samoa,
and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.''.
SEC. 4. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
Section 674 of the Community Services Block Grant Act (42 U.S.C.
9903) is amended--
(1) in subsection (a)--
(A) by striking ``such sums as may be necessary for
each of fiscal years 1999 through 2003'' and inserting
``$1,000,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2026 through
2032'', and
(B) by striking ``sections 681 and 682'' and
inserting ``section 680'',
(2) in subsection (b)--
(A) in paragraph (2)--
(i) by striking ``1\1/2\ percent'' and
inserting ``1 percent'',
(ii) in subparagraph (A)--
(I) by striking ``entities,'' and
inserting ``entities and other
community services network
organizations'', and
(II) by striking ``organizations or
associations'', and
(iii) in subparagraph (B) by striking
``and'' at the end and inserting a period, and
(B) by striking paragraph (3), and
(3) by adding at the end the following:
``(c) Discretionary Programs.--There are authorized to be
appropriated $40,000,000 to carry out section 680(a)(2) and 680(a)(3)
for each of the fiscal years 2026 through 2032.''.
SEC. 5. ESTABLISHMENT OF BLOCK GRANT PROGRAM.
Section 675 of Community Services Block Grant Act (42 U.S.C. 9904)
is amended by striking ``through'' and all that follows through the
period at the end, and inserting ``for the purposes described in
section 672.''.
SEC. 6. ALLOTMENTS AND PAYMENTS TO STATES.
Section 675B of the Community Services Block Grant Act (42 U.S.C.
9906) is amended--
(1) in subsection (a)--
(A) by striking ``except--'' and inserting ``except
as provided in subsection (b).'', and
(B) by striking paragraphs (1) and (2),
(2) by amending subsection (b) to read as follows:
``(b) Minimum Allotments.--
``(1) In general.--No State shall receive less than \1/2\
of 1 percent of the amount appropriated under section 674(a)
for a fiscal year that remains after the Secretary makes the
reservations required by section 674(b).
``(2) Years with greater available funds.--Notwithstanding
paragraph (1), if the amount appropriated under section 674(a)
for a fiscal year that remains after the Secretary makes the
reservations required in section 674(b) exceeds $900,000,000,
no State shall receive under this section less than \3/4\ of 1
percent of the remaining amount.'', and
(3) by amending subsection (c) to read as follows::
``(c) Grants and Payments.--Subject to section 677, the Secretary
shall make grants to eligible States for the allotments described in
subsections (a) and (b). The Secretary shall make payments for the
grants in accordance with section 6503(a) of title 31, United States
Code. The Secretary shall allocate the amounts allotted under
subsections (a) and (b) on a quarterly basis at a minimum, notify the
States of their respective allocations, and make each State's first
allocation amount in a fiscal year available for expenditure by the
State no later than 30 days after receipt of an approved apportionment
from the Office of Management and Budget and, for subsequent allocation
amounts in the fiscal year, not later than 30 days after the start of
the period for which the Secretary is allocating the funds.''.
SEC. 7. USES OF FUNDS.
Section 675C of the Community Services Block Grant Act (42 U.S.C..
9907) is amended--
(1) in subsection (a)--
(A) in paragraph (1) by striking ``for the purposes
described in section 672 to eligible entities'' and
inserting ``to eligible entities that enable the
entities to implement programs, projects, and services
for the purposes described in section 672'',
(B) by amending paragraph (2) to read as follows:
``(2) Obligational requirements.--
``(A) Date of obligation.--The State shall obligate
the funds for grants described in paragraph (1) and
make such grants available for expenditure by eligible
entities not later than the later of--
``(i) the 30th day after the date on which
the State receives from the Secretary a notice
of funding availability for the State's
application under section 676(b) for a first or
subsequent allocation for a fiscal year; or
``(ii) the first day of the State program
year for which funds are to be expended under
the State application.
``(B) Exception.--If funds are appropriated to
carry out this subtitle for less than a full fiscal
year, a State may request an exception from the
Secretary from the requirement to make grants available
for expenditure by eligible entities in accordance with
subparagraph (A), except that a State may not
accumulate more than one fiscal quarter's worth of
funding without making such funds available for
expenditure by eligible entities.
``(C) Availability.--Funds distributed to eligible
entities through grants made in accordance with
paragraph (1) for a fiscal year shall be available for
obligation by the eligible entity during that fiscal
year and the following fiscal year.'', and
(C) by striking paragraph (3),
(2) in subsection (b)--
(A) in paragraph (1)--
(i) by striking ``(subject to paragraph
(2)) for activities that may include--'' and
inserting ``for activities described in the
State's application and plan under section
676(b), as described in paragraph (2), and for
administrative expenses subject to the
limitations in paragraph (3).'', and
(ii) by striking subparagraphs (A) through
(H), and
(B) in paragraph (2)--
(i) by striking ``the greater of $55,000,
or 5 percent,'' and inserting ``5 percent'',
(ii) in the 2d sentence by inserting
``under section 675B'' after ``allotment'',
(iii) in the 3d sentence by striking
``paragraph (1)(A)'' and inserting ``paragraph
(2), other than monitoring,'',
(iv) by striking the last sentence,
(v) by redesignating paragraph (2) as
paragraph (3), and
(vi) by inserting after paragraph (1) the
following:
``(2) Training and technical assistance.--After the
application of subsection (a), the State may use the remaining
grant funds for the purposes of--
``(A) providing training and technical assistance
and resources to eligible entities, including to--
``(i) assist eligible entities to respond
to statewide or regional conditions that create
economic insecurity, including emergency
conditions; and
``(ii) support innovative programs and
activities conducted by eligible entities for a
purpose described in section 672, including
assistance to eligible entities in building and
using evidence of effectiveness in achieving
such purpose;
``(B) supporting information and communication
resources for the comprehensive community needs
assessments described in section 676(b)(3)(B);
``(C) supporting performance measurement systems
consistent with the requirements of section 678E;
``(D) coordinating State-operated programs and
services, and at the option of the State, locally-
operated programs and services, targeted to low-income
children and families with services provided by
eligible entities and other organizations funded under
this subtitle, to ensure increased access to services
provided by such State or local agencies;
``(E) supporting statewide coordination and
communication among eligible entities in the State,
including supporting activities of a statewide
association of community services network
organizations; and
``(F) analyzing the distribution of funds made
available under this subtitle within the State to
determine if such funds have been targeted to the areas
of greatest need.'', and
(3) by striking subsection (c).
SEC. 8. APPLICATION AND PLAN.
Section 676 of the Community Services Block Grant Act (42 U.S.C.
9908) is amended--
(1) in subsection (a) by amending paragraph (2) to read as
follows:
``(2) Duties.--The lead agency--
``(A) shall be authorized by the chief executive
officer to convene State agencies and coordinate
information and activities funded under this subtitle;
``(B) shall develop the State plan to be submitted
to the Secretary under subsection (b), which shall be
based primarily on the community action plans of
eligible entities submitted to the State as a condition
of receiving funding under this subtitle;
``(C) may revise an existing State plan for
submission to the Secretary, subject to the notice and
distribution requirements in subparagraph (D)(iii);
``(D) in conjunction with the development of the
State plan as required under subsection (b)--
``(i) shall hold at least one hearing in
the State on the proposed plan, to provide to
the public an opportunity to comment on the
public record on the proposed use and
distribution of funds under the plan;
``(ii) not less than 15 days before the
hearing, shall distribute notice of the hearing
and a copy of the proposed plan statewide to
the public and directly to the chief executive
officer and board chairperson of each eligible
entity and other community services network
organization in the State; and
``(iii) in the case of any proposed plan
revision, shall notify and distribute a copy of
the proposed revision directly to the chief
executive officer and board chairperson of each
eligible entity and other community services
network organization in the State, before
submission of such proposed revision to the
Secretary; and
``(E) shall conduct reviews of eligible entities
under section 678B.'',
(2) in subsection (b)--
(A) in the matter preceding paragraph (1)--
(i) by striking ``2000'' and inserting
``2026'', and
(ii) by striking ``30'' and inserting
``60'',
(B) in paragraph (1)--
(i) by striking ``made available through
the grant or allotment will be used'' and
inserting ``provided to an eligible entity
under section 675C(a) shall be used by such
entity for'',
(ii) by striking ``to support activities
that are designed'' and all that follows
through ``will enable the families and
individuals'', and inserting ``programs,
projects, and services that will enable low-
income and working individuals and families'',
(iii) in subparagraph (B) by striking
``and'' at the end,
(iv) in subparagraph (C) by adding ``and''
at the end, and
(v) by adding at the end the following:
``(D) to address the educational and economic needs
of low-income individuals, families, and communities by