Library / Laws / 113th / hr / H.R. 2110 / Introduced in House
I
113th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 2110
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
May 22, 2013
Mr. Lewis introduced
the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Ways and
Means
A BILL
To reauthorize the Assets for Independence Act, to
provide for the approval of applications to operate new demonstration programs
and to renew existing programs, to enhance program flexibility, and for other
purposes.
1.
Short title; reference; table
of contents
(a)
Short
title
This Act may be cited
as the Stephanie Tubbs Jones Assets
for Independence Reauthorization Act of 2013.
(b)
Reference
Except as otherwise expressly provided,
whenever in this Act an amendment is expressed in terms of an amendment to a
section or other provision, the reference shall be considered to be made to
that section or other provision of the Assets for Independence Act (42 U.S.C.
604 note).
(c)
Table of
contents
The table of contents of this Act is as follows:
Sec. 1. Short title; reference; table of contents.
Sec. 2. Findings.
Sec. 3. Sense of Congress.
Sec. 4. Definitions.
Sec. 5. Applications.
Sec. 6. Demonstration authority; annual grants.
Sec. 7. Reserve Fund.
Sec. 8. Eligibility for participation.
Sec. 9. Deposits by qualified entities.
Sec. 10. Regulations.
Sec. 11. Annual progress reports.
Sec. 12. Sanctions.
Sec. 13. Evaluations.
Sec. 14. Costs of training qualified entities.
Sec. 15. Waiver authority.
Sec. 16. Authorization of appropriations.
Sec. 17. Conforming amendments.
Sec. 18. General effective date.
2.
Findings
Section 402 is amended—
(1) in paragraph (2),
by striking Fully ½ and inserting
Almost 1/4; and
(2) in paragraph (4),
by striking the first sentence and inserting the following: Traditional
public assistance programs concentrate on income and consumption and have
lacked an asset-building component to promote and support the transition to
increased economic self-sufficiency..
3.
Sense of
Congress
It is the sense of
Congress that a qualified entity conducting a demonstration project under the
Assets for Independence Act (42 U.S.C. 604 note) should, to the maximum extent
practicable, increase—
(1) the rate at which
the entity matches contributions by individuals participating in the project
under section 410(a)(1) of such Act; or
(2) the number of
individuals participating in the project.
4.
Definitions
Section 404 is amended—
(1) by amending
paragraph (4) to read as follows:
(4)
Household
The term household means an
individual or group of individuals who live in a single residence. Multiple
households may share a single
residence.
;
(2) in paragraph
(5)(A)—
(A) by striking clause (iii);
(B) by redesignating
clauses (iv) through (vi) as clauses (iii) through (v), respectively;
and
(C) in clause (iv), as
redesignated by subparagraph (B), by striking clause (vi) and
inserting clause (v);
(3) in paragraph (7)(A)—
(A) by amending clause
(ii) to read as follows:
(ii) a State or local government agency (or a
public housing agency, as defined in section 3(b)(6) of the United States
Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437a(b)(6))) or a tribal government (or a
tribally designated housing entity, as defined in section 4(22) of the Native
American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act of 1996 (25 U.S.C.
4103(22)));
;
and
(B) by striking clause (iii) and inserting the
following:
(iii) a credit union designated as a low-income
credit union by the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA); or
(iv) an organization designated as a community
development financial institution by the Secretary of the Treasury (or the
Community Development Financial Institutions
Fund).
;
and
(4) in paragraph
(8)—
(A) in subparagraph
(A)—
(i) in
the first sentence—
(I) by inserting
of an eligible individual or the dependent of an eligible individual (as
such term is used in subparagraph (E)(ii)) after
expenses; and
(II) by inserting
, or to a vendor pursuant to an education purchase plan approved by a
qualified entity before the period;
(ii) in clause (i)—
(I) in subclause (II), by inserting or
for courses described in subclause (III) after eligible
educational institution; and
(II) by adding at the
end the following new subclauses:
(III)
Preparatory
courses
Preparatory courses for an examination required for
admission to an eligible educational institution, for successful performance at
an eligible educational institution, or for a professional licensing or
certification examination.
(IV)
Room and board
and transportation
Room and
board and transportation, including commuting expenses, necessary to enable
attendance at courses of instruction at an eligible educational institution or
attendance at courses described in subclause
(III).
;
(iii) by amending clause (ii) to read as
follows:
(ii)
Eligible
educational institution
The
term eligible educational institution means—
(I) an institution
described in section 101 or 102 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C.
1001, 1002); or
(II) an area career and technical education
school, as defined in section 3(3) of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical
Education Act of 2006 (20 U.S.C.
2302(3)).
;
and
(iv) by
adding at the end the following new clause:
(iii)
Education
purchase plan
The term
education purchase plan means a plan—
(I) for the purchase
of items or services described in subclauses (II) through (IV) of clause (i)
from entities other than eligible educational institutions;
(II) that includes a
description of the items or services to be purchased; and
(III) that includes such information as a
qualified entity may request from the eligible individual involved regarding
the necessity of the items or services to a course of study at an eligible
educational institution or a course described in clause
(i)(III).
;
(B) in subparagraph
(B)—
(i) by amending clause (i) to read as
follows:
(i)
Principal
residence
The term
principal residence means a main residence the qualified
acquisition costs of which do not exceed 120 percent of the median house price
in the area, as determined by the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development
for purposes of section 203(b) of the National Housing Act (12 U.S.C. 1709(b))
for a residence occupied by a number of families that corresponds to the number
of households occupying the residence
involved.
;
and
(ii) in clause (iii)—
(I) by amending
subclause (I) to read as follows:
(I)
In
general
Subject to subclause
(II), the term qualified first-time homebuyer means an individual
participating in the project involved who—
(aa) has
no sole present ownership interest in a principal residence during the 3-year
period ending on the date of acquisition of the principal residence to which
this subparagraph applies (except for an interest in such principal residence);
and
(bb) has
no co-ownership interest in a principal residence on the date of acquisition of
the principal residence to which this subparagraph applies (except for an
interest in such principal
residence).
;
(II) by redesignating subclause (II) as
subclause (III); and
(III) by inserting
after subclause (I) the following new subclause:
(II)
Exception for
victims of domestic violence
An individual participating in the project
involved who is a recent or current victim of domestic violence (as defined in
section 40002(a)(8) of the Violence Against Women Act of 1994 (42 U.S.C.
13925(a)(8))) shall not be considered to fail to be a qualified first-time
homebuyer by reason of having a co-ownership interest in a principal residence
with a person who committed domestic violence against the
victim.
;
(C) by redesignating subparagraphs (C) and (D)
as subparagraphs (D) and (E), respectively;
(D) by inserting after
subparagraph (B) the following new subparagraph:
(C)
Home
replacement, repair, or improvement
Qualified replacement costs or qualified
repair or improvement costs with respect to a principal residence, if paid from
an individual development account directly to the persons to whom the amounts
are due. In this subparagraph:
(i)
Principal
residence
The term
principal residence means—
(I) with respect to
payment of qualified replacement costs, a main residence the qualified
replacement costs of which do not exceed 120 percent of the median house price
in the area, as determined by the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development
for purposes of section 203(b) of the National Housing Act (12 U.S.C. 1709(b))
for a residence occupied by a number of families that corresponds to the number
of households occupying the residence involved; or
(II) with respect to
qualified repair or improvement costs, a main residence the value of which does
not exceed, on the day before the commencement of the repairs or improvements,
120 percent of such median house price.
(ii)
Qualified
replacement costs
The term
qualified replacement costs means the costs (including any usual
or reasonable settlement, financing, or other closing costs) of
replacing—
(I) a manufactured home that was manufactured,
assembled, or imported for resale before the initial effectiveness of any
Federal manufactured home construction and safety standards established
pursuant to section 604 of the National Manufactured Housing Construction and
Safety Standards Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 5403); or
(II) a residence that fails to meet local
building codes or is not legally habitable.
(iii)
Qualified
repair or improvement costs
The term qualified repair or
improvement costs means the costs of making repairs or improvements
(including any usual or reasonable financing costs) that will enhance the
habitability or long-term value of a
residence.
;
and
(E) by adding at the
end the following new subparagraph:
(F)
Qualified
tuition programs
Contributions paid from an individual
development account of an eligible individual directly to a qualified tuition
program (as defined in subsection (b) of section 529 of the Internal Revenue
Code of 1986), for the purpose of covering qualified higher education expenses
(as defined in subsection (e)(3) of such section) of a dependent of such
individual (as such term is used in clause (ii) of subparagraph
(E)).
.
5.
Applications
Section 405 is amended—
(1) in subsection
(c)(4), by adding at the end the following: Such funds include funds
received under the Community Services Block Grant Act (42 U.S.C. 9901 et seq.),
the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 450b et
seq.), the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act of
1996 (25 U.S.C. 4101 et seq.), or title I of the Housing and Community
Development Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 5301 et seq.) (including Community
Development Block Grant Act funds and Indian Community Development Block Grant
Act funds), that are formally committed to the project.; and
(2) by adding at the
end the following new subsection:
(h)
Applications for
new projects and renewals of existing projects
For project years beginning on or after the
date of the enactment of the Stephanie Tubbs
Jones Assets for Independence Reauthorization Act of 2013, the
previous provisions of this section shall only apply as follows:
(1)
Announcement of
procedures
Not later than 180 days after the date of the
enactment of the Stephanie Tubbs Jones Assets
for Independence Reauthorization Act of 2013, the Secretary shall
publicly announce the procedures by which a qualified entity may submit an
application—
(A) to conduct a
demonstration project under this title; or
(B) for renewal of
authority to conduct a demonstration project under this title.
(2)
Approval
The Secretary shall, on a competitive
basis, approve applications submitted pursuant to the procedures announced
under paragraph (1), taking into account the assessments required by subsection
(c) and giving special consideration to the applications described in paragraph
(3).
(3)
Special
consideration
The
applications described in this paragraph are the following:
(A) Applications
submitted by qualified entities proposing to conduct demonstration projects
under this title that will target the following populations:
(i) Individuals who
are or have been in foster care.
(ii) Victims of domestic violence (as defined in
section 40002(a)(8) of the Violence Against Women Act of 1994 (42 U.S.C.
13925(a)(8))).
(iii) Victims
of—
(I) a major disaster declared to exist by the
President under section 401 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and
Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5170) or an emergency declared to exist by
the President under section 501 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 5191); or
(II) a situation similar to a major disaster or
emergency described in subclause (I) declared to exist by the Governor of a
State.
(iv) Formerly
incarcerated individuals.
(v) Individuals who
are unemployed or underemployed.
(B) Applications
described in subsection (d).
(4)
Contracts with
nonprofit entities
Subsection (f) shall continue to apply.
(5)
Grandfathering
of existing statewide programs
Subsection (g) shall continue to apply,
except that any reference in such subsection to the date of enactment of this
Act or to $1,000,000 shall be deemed to be a reference to the date of the
enactment of the Stephanie Tubbs Jones Assets
for Independence Reauthorization Act of 2013 or to $250,000,
respectively.
.
6.
Demonstration
authority; annual grants
Section 406(a) is amended by inserting
(or, in the case of an application approved under section 405(h)(2), not
later than 30 days after the date of the approval of such application)
after the date of enactment of this title.
7.
Reserve
Fund
Section 407(c) is
amended—
(1) in paragraph
(1)(D), by inserting or organizations after
organization; and
(2) by amending paragraph (3) to read as
follows:
(3)
Limitation on
uses
(A)
In
general
Of the amount provided to a qualified entity under
section 406(b)—
(i) not more than 5.5
percent shall be used for the purpose described in subparagraph (A) of
paragraph (1);
(ii) not less than 80
percent shall be used for the purpose described in subparagraph (B) of such
paragraph; and
(iii) not more than
14.5 percent shall be used for the purposes described in subparagraphs (C) and
(D) of such paragraph.
(B)
Joint
administration of project
If two or more qualified entities are
jointly administering a demonstration project, no one such entity shall use
more than its proportional share of the percentage indicated in subparagraph
(A) for the purposes described in subparagraphs (A) through (D) of paragraph
(1).
.
8.
Eligibility for
participation
Section 408 is
amended—
(1) in subsection (a)—
(A) by amending
paragraph (1) to read as follows:
(1)
Income
tests
The household meets
either of the following income tests:
(A)
Adjusted gross
income test
The adjusted
gross income of the household for the last taxable year ending in or with the
preceding calendar year does not exceed the greater of—
(i) 200 percent of the Federal poverty line, as
defined in section 673(2) of the Community Services Block Grant Act (42 U.S.C.
9902(2)), including any revision required by such section, for a family
composed of the number of persons in the household at the end of such taxable
year; or
(ii) 80 percent of the median income for the
area for such taxable year, as determined by the Secretary of Housing and Urban
Development for purposes of section 3(b)(2) of the United States Housing Act of
1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437a(b)(2)), taking into account any family-size adjustment by
the Secretary under such section that corresponds to the size of the household
at the end of such taxable year.
(B)
Modified
adjusted gross income test
(i)
In
general
The modified adjusted
gross income of the household for the last taxable year ending in or with the
preceding calendar year does not exceed the amount described in clause (ii) for
the individual whose eligibility is being determined under this section.
(ii)
Amount
described
The amount described in this clause for an individual
is as follows:
(I)
Married filing
jointly
$40,000 for an
individual described in subsection (a)(1) of section 1 of the Internal Revenue
Code of 1986.
(II)
Surviving
spouse
$40,000 for an individual described in subsection (a)(2)
of such section.
(III)
Head of
household
$30,000 for an individual described in subsection (b)
of such section.
(IV)
Single or
married filing separately
$20,000 for an individual described in
subsection (c) or (d) of such section.
(iii)
Adjustment for
inflation
(I)
In
general
In the case of a calendar year described in clause (i)
that is after 2014, the dollar amounts in clause (ii) shall be the dollar
amounts determined under this clause (or clause (ii)) for the previous year
increased by the annual percentage increase (if any) in the consumer price
index (all items; U.S. city average) as of September of the calendar year
described in clause (i).
(II)
Rounding
Any dollar amount determined under
subclause (I) that is not a multiple of $100 shall be rounded to the next
greatest multiple of $100.
;
and
(B) in paragraph (2),
by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
(D)
Adjustment for
inflation
(i)
In
general
In the case of a calendar year described in subparagraph
(A) that is after 2014, the dollar amount in such subparagraph shall be the
dollar amount determined under this clause (or such subparagraph) for the
previous year increased by the annual percentage increase (if any) in the
consumer price index (all items; U.S. city average) as of September of the
calendar year described in such subparagraph.
(ii)
Rounding
Any dollar amount determined under clause
(i) that is not a multiple of $100 shall be rounded to the next greatest
multiple of
$100.
;
(2) by redesignating
subsection (b) as subsection (c);
(3) by inserting after
subsection (a) the following new subsection:
(b)
Calculating
income of household
(1)
Adjusted gross
income
For purposes of
subsection (a)(1)(A), the adjusted gross income of a household for a taxable
year is the sum of the adjusted gross incomes of the individuals who are
members of the household at the end of such year.
(2)
Modified
adjusted gross income
For
purposes of subsection (a)(1)(B), the modified adjusted gross income of a
household for a taxable year is the sum of the modified adjusted gross incomes
of the individuals who are members of the household at the end of such
year.
;
and
(4) in subsection (c),
as redesignated by paragraph (2)—
(A) by striking
, including and all that follows and inserting a period;
(B) by striking
The Secretary and inserting the following:
(1)
In
general
The
Secretary
;
and
(C) by adding at the
end the following new paragraphs:
(2)
Individuals who
move because of major disasters or emergencies or to find employment
(A)
In
general
The regulations promulgated under paragraph (1) shall
establish procedures under which an individual described in subparagraph (B)
may transfer from one demonstration project under this title to another
demonstration project under this title that is being conducted in another
community by a qualified entity that agrees to accept the individual into the
project. Such regulations shall not permit such a transfer unless such
qualified entity has sufficient amounts in its Reserve Fund to make the
deposits required by section 410 with respect to the individual.
(B)
Individual
described
An individual described in this subparagraph is an
individual participating in a demonstration project under this title who moves
from the community in which the project is being conducted—
(i) because of—
(I) a major disaster
declared to exist in such community by the President under section 401 of the
Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C.
5170) or an emergency declared to exist in such community by the President
under section 501 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 5191);
(II) a situation
similar to a major disaster or emergency described in subclause (I) declared to
exist in such community by the Governor of a State; or
(III) a qualifying life event experienced by such
individual; or
(ii) in order to
secure employment.
(C)
Qualifying life
event defined
For purposes of
subparagraph (B)(i)(III), the term qualifying life event—
(i) means an event
determined by the Secretary to be similar to an event that would permit the
individual to make an election change with respect to a cafeteria plan under
section 125 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986; and
(ii) includes—
(I) a change in the
legal marital status of the individual;
(II) a change in the number of dependents of the
individual (as such term is used in section 404(8)(E)(ii));
(III) the birth or
death of a child of the individual;
(IV) the adoption or
placement for adoption of a child by the individual;
(V) a change in the
provider of daycare for a child of the individual, or a significant increase in
the cost of such daycare; and
(VI) a change in employment status of the
individual, the individual’s spouse, or a dependent of the individual (as such
term is used in section 404(8)(E)(ii)).
(3)
Relocation to
community where no project is available
(A)
In
general
An individual
described in subparagraph (B) shall be permitted to withdraw funds from the
individual development account of the individual during the 1-year period
following the date such individual moves to another community in the same
manner that an individual is permitted under section 410(d)(2) to withdraw
funds during the 1-year period following the end of a demonstration
project.
(B)
Individual
described
An individual described in this subparagraph is an
individual who—
(i) moves to a
community where no demonstration project under this title is being conducted;
or
(ii) after moving to
another community and making such efforts as the Secretary may require to
transfer to another demonstration project under this title, is, for any reason
other than a violation of the requirements of this title or regulations
promulgated by the Secretary under this title, not accepted into another
demonstration project under this title.
(C)
Funds remaining
in IDA
Any funds remaining in
an individual development account after the end of the 1-year period described
in subparagraph (A) shall be treated in the same manner as funds remaining in
an individual development account after the end of the 1-year period described
in subsection (d)(2)(A) of section 410 are treated under subsection (f) of such
section.
(4)
Relocation by
other individuals
The
regulations promulgated under paragraph (1) shall prohibit any individual who
is unable to continue participating in a demonstration project under this title
for any reason, except for an individual described in paragraph (2)(B) or
(3)(B), from being eligible to participate in any other demonstration project
conducted under this
title.
.
9.
Deposits by
qualified entities
Section 410
is amended—
(1) in subsection (a)(2), by inserting 2
times after an amount equal to;
(2) in subsection (b),
by striking $2,000 and inserting $5,000;
(3) in subsection (c),
by striking $4,000 and inserting $10,000;
(4) in subsection
(d)—
(A) by striking
The Secretary shall and inserting the following:
(1)
In
general
The Secretary
shall
;
(B) in paragraph (1),
as amended by subparagraph (A), by adding at the end the following: The
Secretary may waive the application of the preceding sentence in the case of an
individual who has participated in another demonstration project under this
title (including successful completion after transferring from one project to
another project as described in section 408(c)(2)) or an asset-building project
similar to the demonstration projects conducted under this title.;
and
(C) by adding at the
end the following new paragraph:
(2)
Access for 1
year after end of project
(A)
In
general
The Secretary shall ensure that an eligible individual is
able to withdraw funds from an individual development account of the individual
during the 1-year period following the end of the demonstration project with
respect to which deposits were made into such account (whether such project
ends by reason of expiration of the authority under section 406(a) of the
qualified entity to conduct the demonstration project, termination of such
authority under section 413 without transfer to another qualified entity, or
otherwise).
(B)
Approval of
withdrawals
During the period
described in subparagraph (A), an eligible individual may only make a
withdrawal if the withdrawal is approved in writing—
(i) by
a responsible official of the qualified entity; or
(ii) by the Secretary, if the Secretary
terminated the authority of the qualified entity to conduct the demonstration
project under section 413 or the Secretary determines that the qualified entity
is otherwise unable or unwilling to participate in the approval
process.
;
and
(5) by adding at the
end the following new subsection:
(f)
Unused funds in
IDA
If funds remain in an
individual development account after the end of the 1-year period described in
subsection (d)(2)(A), such funds shall be disposed of as considered appropriate
by the Secretary or a nonprofit entity (as such term is used in section
404(7)(A)(i)) designated by the
Secretary.
.
10.
Regulations
Section 411 is amended—
(1) in the heading, by
inserting ;
Regulations after Projects;
(2) by striking
A qualified entity and inserting the following:
(a)
Local control
over demonstration projects
A
qualified entity
;
and
(3) by adding at the
end the following new subsection:
(b)
Regulations
Subject to subsection (a), not later than
180 days after the date of the enactment of the
Stephanie Tubbs Jones Assets for Independence
Reauthorization Act of 2013, the Secretary shall promulgate such
regulations as the Secretary considers necessary to implement this title. The
Secretary may provide that any such regulation takes effect on the date of
promulgation, but the Secretary shall accept and consider public comments for
60 days after such
date.
.
11.
Annual progress
reports
(a)
In
general
Section 412(b) is
amended by striking subsection (a) to and all that follows and
inserting subsection (a) to the Secretary..
(b)
Effective
date
The amendment made by subsection (a) shall apply to reports
submitted on or after the date of the enactment of this Act.
12.
Sanctions
(a)
In
general
Section 413 is
amended—
(1) by amending
subsection (b)(5) to read as follows:
(5) if, by the end of the 90-day period
beginning on the date of the termination, the Secretary has not found a
qualified entity (or entities) described in paragraph (3), shall—
(A) make every effort to identify, without
conducting a competition (unless the Secretary determines that conducting a
competition would be feasible and appropriate), another qualified entity (or
entities), in the same or a different community, willing and able to conduct
one or more demonstration projects under this title that may differ from the
project being terminated;
(B) in identifying a qualified entity (or
entities) under subparagraph (A), give priority to qualified entities
that—
(i) are participating
in demonstration projects conducted under this title;
(ii) have waiting
lists for participants in such demonstration projects; and
(iii) can demonstrate
the availability of non-Federal funds described in section 405(c)(4), in
addition to any such funds committed to any demonstration projects being
conducted by the qualified entity at the time the Secretary considers
identifying the entity under subparagraph (A), to be committed to the
demonstration project (or projects) described in subparagraph (A) as matching
contributions; and
(C) if the Secretary
identifies a qualified entity (or entities) under subparagraph (A)—
(i) transfer to the entity (or entities)
control over the Reserve Fund established pursuant to section 407 with respect
to the project being terminated; and
(ii) authorize the
entity (or entities) to use such Reserve Fund to conduct a demonstration
project (or projects) in accordance with an application approved under
subsection (e) or (h)(2) of section 405 and the requirements of this
title.
;
and
(2) by adding at the
end the following new subsection:
(c)
Focus on
community of terminated project
In identifying another qualified entity (or
entities) under paragraph (3) or (5) of subsection (b), the Secretary shall, to
the extent practicable, select a qualified entity (or entities) in the
community served by the demonstration project being
terminated.
.
(b)
Effective
date
(1)
In
general
The amendment made by subsection (a) shall apply to
terminations occurring on or after the date of the enactment of this
Act.
(2)
Discretionary
application to previous terminations
The Secretary of Health and
Human Services may apply such amendment to terminations occurring within the
one-year period ending on the day before the date of the enactment of this Act.
In the case of such an application, any reference in such amendment to the date
of the termination is deemed a reference to such date of enactment.
13.
Evaluations
Section 414 is amended—
(1) by amending
subsection (a) to read as follows:
(a)
In
general
The Secretary may
enter into one or more contracts with one or more independent research
organizations to evaluate the demonstration projects conducted under this
title, individually and as a group, including all qualified entities
participating in and sources providing funds for the demonstration projects
conducted under this title. Such contract or contracts may also provide for the
evaluation of other asset-building programs and policies targeted to low-income
individuals.
;
(2) in subsection
(b)—
(A) by striking
paragraph (3);
(B) in paragraph (4),
by striking , and how such effects vary among different populations or
communities;
(C) by striking
paragraphs (5) and (6); and
(D) by redesignating
paragraphs (4) and (7) as paragraphs (3) and (4), respectively; and
(3) in subsections (b)
and (c), by inserting (or organizations) after research
organization each place it appears.
14.
Costs of
training qualified entities
The Assets for Independence Act (42 U.S.C.
604 note) is amended—
(1) by redesignating
section 416 as section 417; and
(2) by inserting after
section 415 the following new section:
416.
Costs of
training qualified entities
If
the Secretary determines that a qualified entity conducting a demonstration
project under this title should receive training in order to conduct the
project in accordance with an application approved under subsection (e) or
(h)(2) of section 405 or the requirements of this title, or to otherwise
successfully conduct the project, the Secretary may use funds appropriated
under section 418 to cover the necessary costs of such training, including the
costs of travel, accommodations, and
meals.
.
15.
Waiver
authority
The Assets for
Independence Act (42 U.S.C. 604 note) is amended—
(1) by redesignating
section 417, as redesignated by section 14(1) of this Act, as section 418;
and
(2) by inserting after
section 416 the following new section:
417.
Waiver
authority
In order to carry
out the purposes of this title, the Secretary may waive any requirement of this
title—
(1) relating
to—
(A) the definition of
a qualified entity;
(B) the approval of a
qualified entity to conduct a demonstration project under this title or to
receive a grant under this title;
(C) eligibility
criteria for individuals to participate in a demonstration project under this
title;
(D) amounts or
limitations with respect to—
(i) the matching by a
qualified entity of amounts deposited by an eligible individual in the
individual development account of the individual;
(ii) the amount of
funds that may be granted to a qualified entity by the Secretary; or
(iii) uses by a
qualified entity of the funds granted to the qualified entity by the Secretary;
or
(E) the withdrawal of
funds from an individual development account only for qualified expenses or as
an emergency withdrawal; or
(2) the waiver of
which is necessary to—
(A) permit the
Secretary to enter into an agreement with the Commissioner of Social
Security;
(B) allow individuals
to be placed on a waiting list to participate in a demonstration project under
this title; or
(C) allow
demonstration projects under this title to be targeted to populations described
in section 405(h)(3)(A) and to successfully recruit individuals from such
populations for
participation.
.
16.
Authorization of
appropriations
Section 418, as
redesignated by section 15(1) of this Act, is amended by inserting after
2003 the following: and $75,000,000 for each of fiscal
years 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018.
17.
Conforming
amendments
(a)
In
general
Section 414(e) is
amended by striking section 416 and inserting section
418.
(b)
Table of
contents
The table of
contents in section 2 of the Community Opportunities, Accountability, and
Training and Educational Services Act of 1998 (Public Law 105–285) is amended
as follows:
(1) By striking the
item relating to section 411 and inserting the following new item:
Sec. 411. Local control over demonstration
projects; Regulations.
(2) By striking the
items relating to sections 415 and 416 and inserting the following new
items:
Sec. 415. No reduction in
benefits.
Sec. 416. Costs of training qualified
entities.
Sec. 417. Waiver authority.
Sec. 418. Authorization of
appropriations.
18.
General
effective date
The amendments
made by sections 4 through 9 of this Act shall apply to project years beginning
on or after the date of the enactment of this Act.