,i  #aacth ,,congress  #ast ,session    
,h4 ,r4 #bahb  ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of  
,,representatives  ,may #bc1 #bjac ,ms4 
,lee of ,california 7for herself1 ,mr4  
,hoyer1 ,ms4 ,brownley of ,california1  
,ms4 ,chu1 ,mr4 ,hastings of ,florida1  
,mr4 ,serrano1 ,mr4 ,nadler1 ,mr4       
,conyers1 ,mr4 ,vela1 ,ms4 ,clarke1 ,mr4
 ,rush1 ,ms4 ,moore1 ,ms4 ,sewell of    
,alabama1 ,ms4 ,kaptur1 ,mrs4 ,beatty1  
,mr4 ,cicilline1 ,mr4 ,ellison1 ,mr4    
,grijalva1 ,ms4 ,fudge1 ,mr4 ,connolly1 
,mr4 ,rangel1 ,ms4 ,schakowsky1 ,mr4    
,langevin1 ,mr4 ,sires1 ,mr4 ,crdenas1  
,ms4 ,edwards1 ,mr4 ,danny ,k4 ,davis of
 ,illinois1 ,mr4 ,richmond1 ,ms4 ,wilson
 of ,florida1 ,mr4 ,carson of ,indiana1 
,ms4 ,brown of ,florida1 ,mr4 ,tonko1   
,mr4 ,veasey1 ,ms4 ,kelly of ,illinois1 
,mr4 ,clay1 ,mr4 ,butterfield1 ,mrs4    
,napolitano1 ,mr4 ,heck of ,washington1 
,mr4 ,honda1 ,ms4 ,de,lauro1 ,mr4 ,brady
 of ,pennsylvania1 ,ms4 ,norton1 and    
,ms4 ,jackson ,lee7 introduced the      
following bill2 which was referred to   

the ,committee on ,oversight and        
,government ,reform  ,a ,,bill  ,to     
establish the ,federal ,interagency     
,working ,group on ,reducing ,poverty   
which will create and carry out a       
national plan to cut poverty in ,america
 in half in ten years4  #a4 ,short title
 ,this ,act may be cited as the ,half in
 ,ten ,act of #bjac4  #b4 ,findings     
,congress finds the following3  7#a7    
,the persistence of poverty1 and        
especially intergenerational poverty1 in
 ,america can be seen as a deep1        
structural problem that implicates our  
value system and our educational and    
economic institutions4  7#b7 ,poverty   
may be defined as the lack of basic     
necessities of life such as food1       
shelter1 clothing1 health care1         
education1 economic security1 and       
economic opportunity4  7#c7 ,policy     
initiatives and many safety net programs
 addressing poverty have not kept pace  
with the needs of millions of           
,americans4  7#d7 ,the lack of an       

equitable distribution of housing       
choices across the country leads to     
isolation and concentrated poverty4     
7#e7 ,the number of ,americans living in
 poverty rose by over #b4f million from 
#bjji to #bjaj 7,u4,s4 ,census ,bureau1 
,september #bjaa74  7#f7 ,there were    
#df4b million ,americans living in      
poverty in #bjaj1 consisting of #ae4a   
percent of the ,american people 7,u4,s4 
,census ,bureau1 ,september #bjaa74     
7#g7 ,poverty has a disproportionate    
impact on minority communities in       
,america with #bg4d percent of          
,african-,americans1 #bf4f percent of   
,hispanics1 #ab4a percent of ,asian     
,americans1 and #i4i percent of ,whites 
living in poverty in the ,united ,states
 in #bjaj 7,u4,s4 ,census ,bureau1      
,september #bjaa74  7#h7 ,in #bjaj a    
family of #d was considered poor under  
the ,u4,s4 ,census ,bureau's official   
measure if the family's income was below
 #bb1cad4  7#i7 ,the economic           
consequences of poverty in the ,united  

,states are estimated to be at least    
#ejj billion per year 7,center for      
,american ,progress1 #bjjg74  7#aj7     
,children who grow up in poverty        
experience higher crime rates1 decreased
 productivity1 and higher health costs  
over their lives 7,center for ,american 
,progress1 #bjjg74  7#aa7 #c1ejj1jjj    
seniors lived in poverty in #bjaj       
7,u4,s4 ,census ,bureau1 #bjaa74  7#ab7 
,young ,americans1 ages #ah-bd1         
experience a higher poverty rate than   
the national average 7,u4,s4 ,census    
,bureau1 #bjaa74  7#ac7 #af1djj1jjj     
children lived in poverty in #bjaj--more
 than one in every five ,american       
children 7,u4,s4 ,census ,bureau1       
#bjaa74  7#ad7 ,almost #ce percent of   
,african-,american children and over #cj
 percent of ,hispanic children lived in 
poverty in #bjji 7,u4,s4 ,census        
,bureau1 #bjaa74  7#ae7 ,the #df1ahj1jjj
 of ,americans in poverty in #bjaj was  
the largest number yet recorded in the  
#eb years for which poverty estimates   

are available 7,u4,s4 ,census ,bureau1  
#bjaa74  7#af7 ,individuals and families
 in poverty are more socially vulnerable
 to natural disasters1 extreme weather  
and impacts of climate change and have  
greater difficulty preparing for1       
responding to and recovering from such  
events 7,oxfam ,america1 #bjji74  7#ag7 
,children who live in families who fall 
into poverty for even short periods of  
time are at greater risk of a lifetime  
of lower earnings1 lower educational    
attainment1 and increased reliance on   
public services and increased rates of  
incarceration 7,first ,focus1 #bjjh74   
7#ah7 ,it is estimated that the         
additional #c million children who were 
forced into poverty due to the recession
 of #bjjh1 resulted in #ce billion in   
economic losses annually1 and will cause
 at least #a4g trillion in economic     
losses to the ,united ,states during    
their lifetimes 7,first ,focus1 #bjjh74 
7#ai7 ,reducing poverty1 especially     
child poverty1 not only reduces costs   

for ,federal1 ,state1 and local social  
services and benefits programs1 but also
 increases tax revenue at all levels of 
government 7,children's ,defense ,fund1 
#bjji74  7#bj7 ,the ,house of           
,representatives1 on ,january #bb1      
#bjjh1 has resolved that it is the sense
 of ,congress that the ,united ,states  
should set a national goal of cutting   
poverty in half over the next #aj years4
  #c4 ,definitions ,in this ,act3  7#a7 
,federal agency ,the term ,federal      
agency means any executive department1  
,government corporation1                
,government-controlled corporation1 or  
other establishment in the executive    
branch of the ,government 7including the
 ,executive ,office of the ,president71 
or any independent regulatory agency4   
7#b7 ,poverty ,the term poverty means an
 income level and living standard       
associated with and based on the        
official poverty measure as established 
and updated by the ,u4,s4 ,census       
,bureau which establishes a threshold of

 minimum income necessary to achieve a  
standard of living free from deprivation
 of basic needs4  7#c7 ,extreme ,poverty
 ,the term extreme poverty means having 
an income level or living standard at a 
level of extreme deprivation based on   
living with income below #ej percent of 
the ,federal poverty line as established
 by the ,u4,s4 ,census4  7#d7 ,near     
,poverty ,the term near poverty means   
having a level of household income below
 #bjj percent of the ,federal poverty   
line4  7#e7 ,child ,poverty ,the term   
child poverty means poverty which       
impacts those persons under #ah years of
 age4  7#f7 ,deprivation ,the term      
deprivation means lacking some or all   
basic human needs4  7#g7 ,decent ,living
 ,standard ,the term decent living      
standard means the amount of annual     
income that would allow an individual to
 live beyond deprivation at a safe and  
decent1 but modest1 standard of living4 
7#h7 ,alternative ,poverty ,measures    
,the term alternative poverty measures  

means measures and indicators1 other    
than the traditional income based       
measure of poverty1 which can provide a 
more detailed picture of the low-income 
and poverty stricken populations1 such  
as the number of people who were kept   
above poverty by ,government supports1  
the number of people who are poor due to
 medical expenses1 child care1 and work 
expenses1 the rates of food insecurity1 
the number of people who are asset poor 
7with less than three months of income  
saved71 the number of disconnected      
youth1 teen birth rates1 participation  
rates in ,federal anti-poverty programs 
for all eligible populations1 and the   
number of people who are unbanked4  7#i7
 ,regional ,costs of ,living ,the term  
regional costs of living means a measure
 of the differing costs of maintaining a
 given living standard in varying       
regional1 geographic1 urban or rural    
regions4  7#aj7 ,economic ,insecurity   
,the term economic insecurity means the 
inability of individuals and households 

to cope with routine adverse or costly  
life events and the lack of means to    
maintain a decent standard of living and
 to recover from the costly consequences
 of those events4  7#aa7 ,economic      
,stability ,the term economic stability 
means individuals and households have   
access to the means and support systems 
necessary to effectively cope with      
adverse or costly life events and have  
the ability to effectively recover from 
the consequences of those events while  
maintaining their standard of living or 
maintaining a decent standard of living4
  7#ab7 ,digital ,divide ,the term      
digital divide means the gap between    
individuals1 households1 businesses and 
geographic areas at different           
socio-economic levels with regard to    
both their access information and       
communications technologies and         
including the imbalance both in physical
 access to technology and the resources1
 education and skills needed to         
effectively use computer technology and 

the ,internet for a wide variety of     
activities4  7#ac7 ,outcomes ,the term  
outcomes means change in the economic   
status1 economic instability or economic
 security of an individual1 household or
 other population which is attributable 
to a planned intervention1 benefit1 or  
service or series of interventions1     
benefits1 and services1 regardless of   
whether such an intervention was        
intended to change such economic status4
  7#ad7 ,disparate ,impact ,the term    
disparate impact refers to the historic 
and ongoing impacts of the pattern and  
practice of discrimination in           
employment1 education1 housing1 banking 
and nearly every other aspect of        
,american life in the economy1 society  
or culture that have an adverse impact  
on minorities1 women1 or other protected
 groups1 regardless of whether such     
practices were motivated by             
discriminatory intent4  #d4             
,establishment of the ,federal          
,interagency ,working ,group on         

,reducing ,poverty  7a7 ,establishment  
of ,federal ,interagency ,working ,group
 on ,reducing ,poverty ,there is        
established within the ,department of   
,health and ,human ,services1 a ,federal
 ,interagency ,working ,group on        
,reducing ,poverty1 which shall be      
chaired by the ,secretary of ,health and
 ,human ,services1 and whose members    
shall be selected by their respective   
agency heads from the senior ranks of   
their agencies1 which shall--  7#a7     
develop1 within #ahj days of enactment1 
a ,national ,strategy to reduce the     
number of persons living in poverty in  
,america in half within #aj years of the
 release of the #bjab ,census report on 
,income1 ,poverty and ,health ,insurance
 ,coverage in the ,united ,states3      
#bjaa1 that includes goals and          
objectives relating to--  7,a7 reducing 
in half the number of ,americans living 
in poverty as reported by the #bjab     
,census report on ,income1 ,poverty and 
,health ,insurance ,coverage in the     

,united ,states3 #bjaa2  7,b7           
eliminating child poverty in ,america2  
7,c7 eliminating extreme poverty in     
,america2  7,d7 improving the           
effectiveness and outcomes of poverty   
related programs by improving our       
understanding of the root causes of     
poverty1 the social1 economic1 and the  
cultural contributors to persistent     
intergenerational poverty2  7,e7        
improving the measure of poverty to     
include more indicators and measures    
that can meaningfully account for other 
aspects relating to the measure of      
poverty1 such as regional differences in
 costs of living1 the impact of rising  
income inequality1 the impact of the    
persistent digital divide1 expanding the
 understanding of poverty by            
distinguishing a standard that measures 
a level of freedom from deprivation     
versus a standard that measures a       
standard of economic adequacy provided  
by a living wage and access to a decent 
living standard1 and the impact of      

poverty on other measures of economic   
stability and economic outcomes1 such as
 educational attainment1 rates of       
incarceration1 lifetime earnings1 access
 to health care1 health care outcomes1  
access to housing1 and including other  
measures as necessary to improve our    
understanding of why poverty persists in
 ,america2  7,f7 eliminating the        
disparate rates of poverty based on     
race1 ethnicity1 gender1 age1 or sexual 
orientation and identity1 especially    
among children in those households so   
impacted2  7,g7 measuring effectiveness 
of poverty related programs on the basis
 of long-term outcomes1 including the   
long-term savings and value of          
preventive practice and policy1 and     
employing fact based measures of        
programs to make improvements2  7,h7    
improving the accessibility of benefit  
and social services programs1 reducing  
the complexity and difficulty of        
enrollment1 and improving the rates of  
enrollment in need based programs for   

all eligible recipients to maximize the 
impact of benefits and social services  
programs on reducing the impacts of     
poverty and improving economic outcomes2
  7,i7 making more uniform eligibility  
requirements to improve the coordination
 of service delivery1 reduce gaps in    
eligibility1 and improve outcomes of    
programs addressing poverty in the      
,federal ,government2  7,j7 reducing the
 negative impacts of asset limits for   
eligibility which impact ,federal1      
,state and local poverty programs on the
 effectiveness of programs where limited
 eligibility creates gaps in necessary  
service and benefit delivery1 and       
restricts access to benefits as         
individuals and families attempt to     
transition off of assistance programs   
and which can prevent needy             
beneficiaries from improving long-term  
outcomes and achieving long-term        
economic independence from need based   
programs2  7,k7 identifying ,federal    
programs1 including those related to    

disaster relief1 hazard mitigation1     
extreme weather and climate change1 and 
necessary reforms to better target      
resources towards disproportionately    
impacted socially vulnerable1 low income
 and disadvantaged communities may      
provide greater socio-economic benefits2
  7,l7 improving the ability of         
community-based organizations to        
participate in the development1         
oversight and implementation of ,federal
 poverty-related programs2  7,m7        
improving access to good jobs with      
adequate wages and benefits by          
individuals living in poverty1          
low-income households1 and the          
unemployed2  7,n7 expanding and         
stabilizing poor and low income persons 
connection to work and access to        
critical job training and_/or skills    
upgrade training that will lead to      
re-entry in the workforce2  7,o7        
developing a comprehensive strategy to  
connect low-income young people and to  
re-connect currently disconnected youth 

to education1 work1 and their community2
 and  7,p7 shifting the focus of poverty
 and means tested programs across the   
,federal ,government beyond the relief  
of deprivation and instead setting      
goals1 measures1 and outcomes more      
focused on measuring the success of     
programs in supporting and improving how
 capable individuals and families can   
access educational and economic         
opportunities to successfully transition
 away from accessing public assistance  
and benefits and achieving long-term    
economic stability which will reduce    
long-term costs in domestic social needs
 programs1 reduce long-term health care 
costs due to the improved health of     
formerly poverty stricken households1   
increase the number of taxpaying        
individuals which will increase revenue1
 and lower the enrollment and costs in  
need based benefits and services        
programs1 thus improving the economy and
 reducing long-term deficits for        
,federal1 ,state1 and local governments2

  7#b7 oversee1 coordinate1 and         
integrate all policies and activities of
 the ,federal ,government1 in           
coordination and consultation with the  
,domestic ,policy ,council and the      
,national ,economic ,council1 across all
 agencies relating to reducing the      
number of individuals1 families1 and    
children living below the ,federal      
poverty line1 in extreme poverty or near
 poverty and increasing the number of   
households able to achieve long-term    
economic stability with assets          
sufficient to maintain a decent living  
standard without relying on public      
supports--  7,a7 economic1 commercial1  
and programmatic policies that can      
effect or relieve the effects of poverty
 through job creation1 and economic     
development targeted to low income1     
minority1 rural1 urban and other        
populations who suffer disparate rates  
of poverty1 among ,federal agencies2 and
  7,b7 services and benefits including  
emergency programs1 discretionary       

economic programs1 and other policies   
and activities necessary to ensure that 
the ,federal ,government is able to     
mount effective responses to economic   
downturns and increases in the rates of 
poverty2  7#c7 ensure that all relevant 
,federal agencies comply with           
appropriate guidelines1 policies1 and   
directives from the ,federal            
,interagency ,working ,group on         
,reducing ,poverty and the ,department  
of ,health and ,human ,services and     
other ,federal agencies with            
responsibilities relating to poverty    
reduction or improving economic         
stability and independence2  7#d7 ensure
 that ,federal agencies1 ,state         
governments and relevant congressional  
committees have access to1 receive1 and 
appropriately disseminate best practices
 in the administration of programs1 have
 adequate resources to maximize the     
public awareness of programs1 increase  
the reach of those programs1 especially 
into historically disenfranchised       

communities1 maximize enrollment for all
 eligible ,americans1 share relevant    
data1 and issue relevant guidance in    
consultation with non-government        
organizations and policy experts in the 
field and ,state and local government   
officials who administer or direct      
policy for anti-poverty programs in     
increasing and maximizing the enrollment
 into and administration of programs and
 services designed to alleviate poverty2
  7#e7 enact best practices for improved
 data collection1 relevant to--  7,a7   
reducing poverty2  7,b7 reducing the    
racial1 ethnic1 age1 gender1 and sexual 
orientation or sexual identity based    
disparities in the rates of poverty2    
7,c7 adequately measuring the           
effectiveness1 efficiency and impact of 
programs on the outcomes for            
individuals1 families and communities   
who receive benefits and services2  7,d7
 streamlining enrollment and eligibility
 for programs2  7,e7 improving long-term
 outcomes for individuals who are       

enrolled in service and benefit         
programs2  7,f7 reducing reliance on    
public programs2  7,g7 improving        
connections to work2  7,h7 improving    
economic stability2  7,i7 improving     
savings and investment1 access to       
capital1 increasing rates of            
entrepreneurship2  7,j7 improving our   
understanding of the impact of extreme  
weather and natural disasters on        
economically vulnerable communities and 
improving those communities' resilience 
to and recovery from extreme weather and
 natural disasters2  7,k7 improving     
access to living wage employment2 and   
7,l7 improving access to employment     
based benefits2 and  7#f7 study the     
feasibility of and test different       
interagency1 ,state and local1          
public_/private models of cooperative   
service and benefit delivery by creating
 necessary exemptions1 waivers and      
funding sources to allow improved       
cooperation and innovation in the       
development of programs1 practices1     

policies and procedures that advance the
 goal of reducing poverty and increasing
 economic opportunity4  7b7 ,director of
 ,national ,poverty ,policy ,there shall
 be a ,staff ,director of ,national     
,poverty ,policy1 who shall be the head 
of the ,federal ,interagency ,working   
,group on ,reducing ,poverty4  #e4      
,appointment and responsibilities of the
 ,director  7a7 ,appointment  7#a7 ,in  
general ,the ,staff ,director shall be  
appointed by the ,secretary of ,housing 
and ,urban ,development4  7#b7          
,qualifications ,the ,secretary shall   
appoint the ,staff ,director from among 
individuals who have demonstrated       
ability and knowledge in social policy1 
improving outcome based management1     
issues of equity and equal opportunity  
and access to services and economic     
opportunity4  7b7 ,responsibilities ,the
 ,staff ,director shall--  7#a7 advise  
the ,secretary and all relevant cabinet 
secretaries1 and agency officials       
regarding the establishment of policies1

 goals1 objectives1 and priorities for  
reducing poverty in ,america in half in 
ten years1 ending child poverty1 ending 
extreme poverty and eliminating racial1 
ethnic1 gender1 and sexual identity and 
orientation based disparities in the    
rates of poverty2  7#b7 advise the      
,secretary1 when directed by the        
,secretary1 advise relevant cabinet     
secretaries1 heads of independent       
,federal agencies and other entities    
within the ,executive ,office of the    
,president regarding mechanisms to      
improve the effectiveness1 coordination1
 impact1 and outcomes of social         
services1 benefits1 and other poverty   
reduction and economic opportunity      
programs1 in collaboration with experts 
in the field1 non-governmental          
organizations1 and other governments2   
7#c7 work with ,federal agencies to     
oversee1 coordinate1 and integrate the  
implementation of the ,national ,plan or
 ,strategy1 including consultation with 
independent non-governmental policy     

experts and service provider groups     
engaged in serving low-income persons1  
children and households1 ,state and     
local government officials who          
administer or direct policy for         
anti-poverty programs1 and with as many 
groups that directly represent          
low-income people1 such as public       
housing tenants' associations1 or other 
similar groups2 and  7#d7 resolve any   
disputes that arise between ,federal    
agencies relating to the ,national ,plan
 to reduce poverty in half in ten years 
or other matters within the             
responsibility of the ,office4  #f4     
,consultation  7a7 ,in general ,the     
,director may consult and obtain        
recommendations from1 as needed1 such   
,presidential and other advisory        
entities such as consultation with      
independent non-governmental policy     
experts and service provider groups     
engaged in serving low-income persons1  
children1 and households2 ,state and    
local government officials who          

administer or direct policy for         
anti-poverty programs1 and groups made  
up of low-income people1 such as public 
housing tenants' associations1 or other 
similar groups as the ,director         
determines will assist in carrying out  
the mission of the ,office1 including1  
but not limited to--  7#a7 the          
,administration for ,children and       
,families 7,,acf72  7#b7 the            
,administration on ,aging 7,ao,a72  7#c7
 the ,department of ,agriculture        
7,,usda72  7#d7 the ,bankruptcy ,courts2
  7#e7 the ,bureau of ,consumer         
,financial ,protection2  7#f7 the       
,bureau of ,economic ,analysis 7,,bea72 
7#g7 the ,bureau of ,indian ,affairs    
7,,bia72  7#h7 the ,bureau of the       
,census2  7#i7 the ,center for          
,nutrition ,policy and ,promotion2      
7#aj7 the ,centers for ,medicare        
,medicaid ,services 7formerly the       
,health ,care ,financing                
,administration72  7#aa7 the ,commission
 on ,civil ,rights2  7#ab7 the ,office  

of ,community ,planning and             
,development2  7#ac7 the ,consumer      
,financial ,protection ,bureau2  7#ad7  
the ,coordinating ,council on ,juvenile 
,justice and ,delinquency ,prevention2  
7#ae7 the ,corporation for ,national and
 ,community ,service2  7#af7 the        
,council of ,economic ,advisers2  7#ag7 
the ,department of ,agriculture         
7,,usda72  7#ah7 the ,department of     
,commerce 7,,doc72  7#ai7 the           
,department of ,defense 7,,dod72  7#bj7 
the ,department of ,education 7,,ed72   
7#ba7 the ,department of ,health and    
,human ,services 7,,hhs72  7#bb7 the    
,department of ,housing and ,urban      
,development 7,,hud72  7#bc7 the        
,department of ,justice 7,,doj72  7#bd7 
the ,department of ,labor 7,,dol72      
7#be7 the ,department of the ,treasury2 
7#bf7 the ,department of ,transportation
 7,,dot72  7#bg7 the ,department of     
,veterans ,affairs 7,,va72  7#bh7 the   
,disability ,employment ,policy ,office2
  7#bi7 the ,domestic ,policy ,council2 

7#cj7 the ,drug ,enforcement            
,administration 7,,dea72  7#ca7 the     
,economic ,development ,administration2 
7#cb7 the ,economic ,research ,service2 
7#cc7 the ,english ,language            
,acquisition ,office2  7#cd7 the ,equal 
,employment ,opportunity ,commission    
7,,eeoc72  7#ce7 the ,fair ,housing and 
,equal ,opportunity2  7#cf7 the ,federal
 ,bureau of ,prisons2  7#cg7 the        
,federal ,housing ,finance ,board2      
7#ch7 the ,federal ,labor ,relations    
,authority2  7#ci7 the ,federal ,trade  
,commission 7,,ftc72  7#dj7 the ,food   
and ,nutrition ,service2  7#da7 the     
,indian ,health ,service2  7#db7 the    
,interagency ,council on ,homelessness2 
7#dc7 the ,internal ,revenue ,service   
7,,irs72  7#dd7 the ,legal ,services    
,corporation2  7#de7 the ,national      
,,aids ,policy ,office2  7#df7 the      
,national ,credit ,union                
,administration2  7#dg7 the ,national   
,economic ,council2  7#dh7 the ,national
 ,institutes of ,health 7,,nih72  7#di7 

the ,national ,labor ,relations ,board2 
7#ej7 the ,occupational ,safety  ,health
 ,administration 7,,osha72  7#ea7 the   
,office of ,management and ,budget      
7,,omb72  7#eb7 the ,office of ,refugee 
,resettlement2  7#ec7 the ,office of    
,policy ,development and ,research      
7,housing and ,urban ,development       
,department72  7#ed7 the ,small         
,business ,administration 7,,sba72      
7#ee7 the ,social ,security             
,administration 7,,ssa72  7#ef7 the     
,substance ,abuse and ,mental ,health   
,services ,administration2  7#eg7 the   
,veterans' ,employment and ,training    
,service2 and  7#eh7 the ,women's       
,bureau 7,labor ,department74  7b7      
,national strategy ,in developing and   
updating the ,national ,strategy the    
,executive ,director shall consult with 
the ,domestic ,policy ,council1 the     
,national ,economic ,council1 and1 as   
appropriate1 hold regional public       
hearings around the country to collect  
information and feedback from the public

 on their efforts and experience for the
 development and updating of the        
,national ,strategy and make this       
information available to the public4    
#g4 ,reports to ,congress and the public
  7a7 ,in general ,the ,chair of the    
,federal ,interagency ,working ,group on
 ,reducing ,poverty shall submit an     
annual report to the appropriate        
congressional committees describing the 
activities1 ongoing projects1 and plans 
of the ,federal ,government designed to 
meet the goals and objectives of the    
,national ,strategy on ,poverty4 ,the   
report shall include an accounting of   
the savings to the ,government from any 
increased efficiencies in the delivery  
of services1 any savings from reducing  
the numbers of ,americans living in     
poverty and reductions in the demand for
 need based services and benefits for   
which persons living in and near poverty
 are eligible1 as well as an accounting 
of any increase in revenue collections  
due to the numbers of persons who become

 gainfully employed and pay taxes into  
the ,treasury instead of drawing        
benefits and services from it4  7b7     
,national academy of sciences workshop  
,within #ij days after funds are made   
available to carry out this ,act1 the   
,secretary of ,health and ,human        
,services shall contract with the       
,national ,academy of ,sciences         
7hereinafter in this subsection referred
 to as the ,,nas7 to initiate a workshop
 series to provide necessary background 
information to enable the ,working      
,group on ,reducing ,poverty to develop 
and finalize its plan4  7#a7 ,the ,,nas 
shall convene a steering committee to   
organize1 plan1 and conduct a public    
workshop on what is known about the     
economic and social costs of poverty1   
including1 but not limited to the       
following3  7,a7 ,macroeconomic costs   
7effects on productivity and economic   
output74  7,b7 ,health costs 7effects on
 health expenditures and health status74
  7,c7 ,crime and other social costs4   

7,d7 ,direct ,federal budget effects    
7e4g41 outlays for income support and   
other poverty reduction programs74  7,e7
 ,natural ,disaster related risks and   
costs4  7,f7 ,the workshop shall also   
consider poverty metrics 7e4g41 income  
poverty1 food insecurity1 and other     
measures of deprivation71 and their role
 in assessing the effects of poverty and
 the performance of anti-poverty        
programs4  ,the ,,nas shall commission  
experts to prepare papers that summarize
 and critique the relevant literature   
estimating monetary and non-monetary    
economic and social impacts of poverty4 
,a workshop summary shall be produced   
that1 along with the papers1 shall be   
available electronically on the ,,nas   
website4 ,this workshop shall be        
convened within #f months of receipt of 
a contract1 the papers posted           
immediately1 and the summary released by
 the end of month4  7#b7 ,the ,,nas     
steering committee shall organize1 plan1
 and conduct a second public workshop on

 what is known about the economic and   
social costs and benefits of a variety  
of programs and strategies to reduce and
 prevent poverty4 ,it shall take account
 of such issues as the following3  7,a7 
,short-term versus long-term effects1   
including budget implications4  7,b7    
,effects for different population       
groups1 such as children1 the elderly1  
immigrants1 long-term single-parent     
families1 displaced older workers1 young
 people with large loans1 people in     
areas of concentrated poverty and other 
social ills 7e4g41 ,indian reservations1
 some inner city areas1 some rural      
areas74  7,c7 ,effects by depth of      
poverty and near-poverty 7e4g41 income  
to poverty ratios of less than #ej      
percent1 less than #ajj percent1 less   
than #bjj percent74  ,this second       
workshop shall be convened within #i    
months of receipt of a contract1 the    
papers posted immediately1 and a summary
 released by the end of month #ab4  7c7 
,report ,the relevant sections of the   

report shall be posted on each agency's 
website on the plans and impacts        
specific to their agency4  7d7 ,public  
report ,a version of each report        
submitted under this section shall be   
made available to the public4  7e7      
,legislative language ,the ,working     
,group on ,reducing ,poverty shall      
submit1 as necessary1 legislative       
language1 including specific legislative
 recommendations to the ,congress of the
 ,united ,states towards achieving the  
national goals4