H.R. 4509

Jobs and Opportunity with Benefits and Services for Success Act

This bill renames the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program as the Jobs and Opportunity with Benefits and Services (JOBS) program, reauthorizes the program through FY2027, and makes changes relating to work requirements for beneficiaries.

States providing aid under the program shall create an individual opportunity plan for each beneficiary. States shall impose work requirements on all work-eligible beneficiaries and shall reduce benefits for noncompliance. (Currently, individual plans are optional under TANF, and states have discretion as to whether to reduce benefits for noncompliant individuals.)

States providing aid shall meet annual performance targets related to the number of beneficiaries who exit the program and find unsubsidized employment. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) shall reduce grants to states that fail to meet such targets. States shall provide data related to beneficiary employment and wages to HHS, which shall be publicly available.

The bill modifies certain limitations that restrict the use of funds for case management and other purposes and requires states to spend at least 25% of funds from various grants on core activities.

Certain existing laws relating to monitoring and recovering improper benefits payments shall apply to the JOBS program.

The bill eliminates programs providing (1) supplemental grants for population increases, (2) bonuses for high performance states, (3) welfare-to-work grants, and (4) contingency funds for state welfare programs.