HR3156-119

What This Bill Does

The JOBS for Success Act is a broad TANF overhaul. It extends TANF and related grants from expired 2017 and 2018 references to fiscal years 2026 through 2030, then requires universal engagement for work-eligible recipients. State agencies must assess education, skills, work history, work readiness, barriers to work, and child well-being, create signed individual opportunity plans with personal responsibility agreements, work obligations, employment goals, planned steps, job counseling and services, and possible substance-use or mental health referrals, complete plans within one year for current recipients and within 60 days for new recipients, reduce assistance for noncompliance without good cause, and review plans at least every 90 days. The bill replaces work participation with employment-exit and outcome indicators beginning with fiscal year 2028, using negotiated state performance levels, measures for unsubsidized employment in the second quarter after exit, retention in the fourth quarter, median earnings, and high-school completion for young participants, with economic and participant adjustments similar to WIOA. It targets funds to needy families, core TANF purposes, improper-payment measurement, and no state diversion of federal funds to replace state spending. HHS must approve state plans, provide technical assistance, align and improve data reporting and exchange standards, create a set-aside for economic downturns, restrict welfare funds for marijuana-related activities, update definitions on fund use, and eliminate obsolete provisions. The practical effect is to continue TANF funding while making states manage each work-eligible recipient through an individualized employment plan and face more outcome, spending, integrity, and data accountability.

Who Benefits and How

Work-eligible TANF recipients benefit from individualized assessments, opportunity plans, job counseling, service referrals, and regular plan reviews. Children in TANF families benefit because state assessments must consider child well-being and appropriate services. States with strong employment outcomes benefit if negotiated performance levels recognize labor-market and participant differences. HHS welfare administrators benefit from stronger plan approval, data reporting, improper-payment, and technical assistance authority. Taxpayers benefit from tighter targeting to needy families, core purposes, improper-payment measurement, and limits on state spending substitution.

Who Bears the Burden and How

State TANF agencies must assess every work-eligible recipient, create and update opportunity plans, impose sanctions, report outcomes, and meet negotiated performance targets. TANF recipients who fail to comply without good cause face reduced assistance under their individual opportunity plans. State budget offices are barred from diverting federal TANF funds to replace state spending. HHS staff must approve state plans, operate technical assistance, regulate performance reporting, and administer downturn reserves. Marijuana businesses lose access to welfare-funded activities through the bill's needs-not-weed restriction.

Key Provisions

• Extends TANF and related grant authorities through fiscal years 2026 through 2030.
• Requires universal engagement, assessments, individual opportunity plans, personal responsibility agreements, sanctions, and 90-day reviews for work-eligible recipients.
• Creates employment-exit, retention, earnings, and youth credential performance indicators with negotiated state levels beginning fiscal year 2028.
• Targets funds to needy families and core purposes while restricting state replacement of state spending.
• Strengthens improper-payment measurement, HHS approval of state plans, technical assistance, data reporting, and data exchange standards.
• Creates an economic-downturn set-aside and prohibits welfare funds for marijuana-related activities.