SB 112-45: Commonsense Program Reform Act (Passed)

[Mr. Reactionary]

COMMONSENSE PROGRAM REFORM ACT
SENATE BILL

to make government more efficient, make it easier to get food stamps, and redirect federal money to better welfare programs
Be it enacted:

SECTION I.: NAME

a.  This Act may be cited as the Commonsense Welfare Reform Act.

SECTION II: AGENCY CONSOLIDATION

a. The Subdepartment of Health and Human Services (HHS) shall be renamed the Subdepartment of Human Services and Welfare (HSW)

b. The following agencies, and all related programs, administrative powers, obligations, and duties shall be transferred to the DHW:

   1. The Social Security Administration (SSA)

   2. The Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), currently part of the Subdepartment of Agriculture

   3. The Office of Housing, currently part of the Subdepartment of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) with the exception of the Federal Housing Administration which shall remain within HUD and all activities and powers related to the administration of the Manufactured Housing Program which shall be transferred to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).

   4. The Employment and Training Administration (ETA), currently part of the Subdepartment of Labor, with the exception of all activities and powers related to the administration of the Agricultural Worker’s Survey Program which shall transfer to the Census Bureau, currently part of the Subdepartment of Commerce.

   5. The Veterans’ Employment and Training Service (VETS), currently part of the Subdepartment of Labor.

   6. The Office of Federal Student Aid, currently part of the Subdepartment of Education.

c. The following offices and agencies and all related programs, powers, obligations, and duties shall be transferred from HSW:

   1. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to the Subdepartment of Commerce.

   2. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to the Department of Justice.

d. The administrator of HSW shall oversee the creation of a cross-program database of program beneficiaries to better monitor against fraud and abuse.

e. After 60 days of non-repayment following notice, HSW shall have the authority to recover benefit overpayments from one program by deducting the amount from other programs the beneficiary is collecting from.

f. HSW shall hire an additional 35 Administrative Law Judges (ALJ) to hear Atlascare appeals, and an additional 5 ALJs to hear appeals from the SSA. Funding for these judges shall come from the savings realized in this bill.

SECTION III: NUTRITION PROGRAMS

a. Eligibility

   1. Eligibility for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) shall be expanded to include persons earning up to 150% of the poverty line and persons who own less than $5,000 in assets.

   2. No person otherwise eligible for SNAP benefits shall be excluded from the program due to past criminal or felony conviction. Nothing in this clause prohibits federal employees from investigating potential fraud. 7 U.S.C. § 2015 shall be amended accordingly.

   3. SNAP receiving households that receive substantial winnings from any lottery or from gambling where such winnings would lead to the disqualification of the household from SNAP eligibility shall report such winnings to the DHWS within fifteen (15) days of receiving such winnings and shall be liable for reimbursement for any SNAP funds spent after that period. 7 U.S.C. § 2015 shall be amended accordingly.

   4. SNAP eligibility may not be determined on the basis of participating in a State or Regional low-income heating and energy assistance program. 7 USC § 2014(e)(6)(C) shall be amended accordingly.

   5. Adult college students shall not be eligible to receive SNAP benefits unless the student is employed, is participating in career and technical training programs, or in a work study program. 7 USC § 2015(e)(3)(B) shall be amended accordingly.

b. Savings and Fraud Prevention  

   1. Any unspent SNAP benefits remaining when the proceeding month’s benefits are deposited on any EBT account shall be expunged. 7 USC § 2020 shall be amended accordingly.

   2. No person receiving SNAP benefits shall receive deposit fees for returned cans or bottles greater than $20 per household per month. 7 USC § 2012(k)(1) shall be amended accordingly.

   3. The regulation requiring food vendors to carry a minimum number of staple foods to participate in the program is hereby eliminated.

   4. Chewing gum shall not be an eligible item to purchase with SNAP benefits.

  5. At the beginning of fiscal year 2024 authorization for the following programs administered by SNAP shall expire and all related funding shall be redirected to assist in paying for the eligibility expansion contained herein:

     A. Media and enrollment campaign activities. 7 USC § 2025(a)(4) shall be amended accordingly.
     B. SNAP Performance Bonus Program. 7 USC § 2025(d) shall be amended accordingly.
     C. SNAP Employment and Training program. 7 USC § 2025(h)(1)(A) shall be amended accordingly.
     D. SNAP nutrition education program. 7 USC § 2036a  shall be amended accordingly.
     E. SNAP Outreach Coalition.
     F. SNAP Outreach Grant Program.
     G. U.S.-Mexico partnership for nutrition assistance initiative. The MOU entered into (7/22/04) is hereby rescinded.

   6. At the beginning of fiscal year 2024 authorization for the following redundant programs shall expire and all related funding shall be redirected to assist in paying for the eligibility expansion contained herein:

     A. Afterschool Snack Program.
     B. Child and Adult Care Food Program.
     C. Commodity Supplemental Food Program. 7 USC § 612c shall be amended accordingly.
     D. Community Food Projects Competitive Grant Program.
     E. Emergency Food Assistance Program 7 USC § 2036(a) shall be amended accordingly.
     F. Indian Reservations Food Distribution Program.
     G. Fresh Food and Vegetable Program. 42 USC § 1769a shall be amended accordingly.
     H. Nutrition Information and Awareness Program. 7 USC § 3171 shall be amended accordingly.
     I. Seniors Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program. 7 USC § 3007 shall be amended accordingly.
     J. Special Milk Program.
     K. Summer Food Service Program.
     L. WIC Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program.
     M. Nutrition Cash Payments in Puerto Rico. 7 USC § 2028(a)(2)(B) shall be amended accordingly.

SECTION IV: MISCELLANEOUS CHANGES

a. The cap on SSI overpayment recoveries is hereby eliminated.

b. On January 1, 2024, authorization to carry out the HOPE VI currently administered by HUD shall expire.

c. On January 1, 2024, authorization to carry out the Housing Counselors Program and Mobility Counselors Program currently administered by HUD shall expire.

d. Beginning in fiscal year 2024, no CDBG funds awarded shall be expended on community centers, signs, banners, landscaping, parking lots, or decorative streetscape.

e. No person shall be eligible to collect both federal Unemployment Insurance payments and Social Security Disability Insurance payments simultaneously.

f. No person whose annual income exceeds $1 Million shall be eligible to collect Unemployment Insurance payments during that year.

g. Long-term Emergency federal Unemployment Insurance payments shall be capped at seventy-five (75) consecutive weeks.

h. On January 1, 2024, authorization to carry out the Title X Family Planning Program currently administered by HHS shall expire.

i. Federal funding for fiscal year 2024 for the following federal scholarships shall be redirected into the Pell Grant Program:

   1. The Barry Goldwater Scholarship
   2. The Fulbright Scholarship
   3. The James Madison Fellowship
   4. The Harry S. Truman Scholarship
   5. The Udall Scholarship
   6. HUD Doctoral Scholarship

j.  Prostitution, employment in a brothel, or employment as an adult entertainer shall not constitute available, eligible, or potential employment, work, or jobs for the purpose of work requirements. No person shall be denied any benefit or award with a work requirement for declining or refusing to accept employment as a prostitute, employee of a brothel, or adult entertainer, nor shall any job placement service recommend such employment to any person.

SECTION V: TIMING

a. Unless otherwise specified herein, the provisions of this act shall take effect six (6) months from the date of passage.

Sponsor: OSR
Debate on this bill is now open.

[Mr. Reactionary]

So looking at this:

2 consolidates duplicate bureaucracies

3 improves SNAP (food stamps) by

- Expanding income eligibility

- Allowing felons to participate

- Eliminating the Heat and eat loophole where States give $1 heating assistance checks to scam the program

- Requires Students to have a job or be in a job training program

- clarifies rules for unspent rollovers

- limits fraud where junkies spend all their SNAP on cans and bottles to redeem them for cash for their drugs.

- Expand the number of businesses participanting as vendors

- clarifies gum is not food

- Consolidates duplicate programs but redirects any savings directly back into SNAP to avoid food assistance cuts.

4 does these

- ensures we can collect SSI mispayments

- Eliminates Ineffective housing programs

- screens out rich Cdbg applicants

- prohibits persons collecting Unemployment from double dipping and simultaneously collecting disability

- caps Long term unemployment eligibility at 1 and a half years

- screens out Rich unemployment applicants

- Eliminates the duplicative Title X program that is satisfied by Atlascare

- Consolidates scholarships but redirects any savings directly back into Pell Grants to avoid tuition assistance cuts

- Clarifies that refusing to be a hooker is not a bar to collecting unemployment.


All these seem reasonable and commonsense

[Mr. Reactionary]

I move for a final vote. 24 hours to object.

[Mr. Reactionary]

A final vote is now open on this bill lasting 72 hours. Please vote Aye, Nay, or Abstain.

COMMONSENSE PROGRAM REFORM ACT
SENATE BILL

to make government more efficient, make it easier to get food stamps, and redirect federal money to better welfare programs
Be it enacted:

SECTION I.: NAME

a.  This Act may be cited as the Commonsense Welfare Reform Act.

SECTION II: AGENCY CONSOLIDATION

a. The Subdepartment of Health and Human Services (HHS) shall be renamed the Subdepartment of Human Services and Welfare (HSW)

b. The following agencies, and all related programs, administrative powers, obligations, and duties shall be transferred to the DHW:

   1. The Social Security Administration (SSA)

   2. The Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), currently part of the Subdepartment of Agriculture

   3. The Office of Housing, currently part of the Subdepartment of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) with the exception of the Federal Housing Administration which shall remain within HUD and all activities and powers related to the administration of the Manufactured Housing Program which shall be transferred to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).

   4. The Employment and Training Administration (ETA), currently part of the Subdepartment of Labor, with the exception of all activities and powers related to the administration of the Agricultural Worker’s Survey Program which shall transfer to the Census Bureau, currently part of the Subdepartment of Commerce.

   5. The Veterans’ Employment and Training Service (VETS), currently part of the Subdepartment of Labor.

   6. The Office of Federal Student Aid, currently part of the Subdepartment of Education.

c. The following offices and agencies and all related programs, powers, obligations, and duties shall be transferred from HSW:

   1. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to the Subdepartment of Commerce.

   2. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to the Department of Justice.

d. The administrator of HSW shall oversee the creation of a cross-program database of program beneficiaries to better monitor against fraud and abuse.

e. After 60 days of non-repayment following notice, HSW shall have the authority to recover benefit overpayments from one program by deducting the amount from other programs the beneficiary is collecting from.

f. HSW shall hire an additional 35 Administrative Law Judges (ALJ) to hear Atlascare appeals, and an additional 5 ALJs to hear appeals from the SSA. Funding for these judges shall come from the savings realized in this bill.

SECTION III: NUTRITION PROGRAMS

a. Eligibility

   1. Eligibility for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) shall be expanded to include persons earning up to 150% of the poverty line and persons who own less than $5,000 in assets.

   2. No person otherwise eligible for SNAP benefits shall be excluded from the program due to past criminal or felony conviction. Nothing in this clause prohibits federal employees from investigating potential fraud. 7 U.S.C. § 2015 shall be amended accordingly.

   3. SNAP receiving households that receive substantial winnings from any lottery or from gambling where such winnings would lead to the disqualification of the household from SNAP eligibility shall report such winnings to the DHWS within fifteen (15) days of receiving such winnings and shall be liable for reimbursement for any SNAP funds spent after that period. 7 U.S.C. § 2015 shall be amended accordingly.

   4. SNAP eligibility may not be determined on the basis of participating in a State or Regional low-income heating and energy assistance program. 7 USC § 2014(e)(6)(C) shall be amended accordingly.

   5. Adult college students shall not be eligible to receive SNAP benefits unless the student is employed, is participating in career and technical training programs, or in a work study program. 7 USC § 2015(e)(3)(B) shall be amended accordingly.

b. Savings and Fraud Prevention  

   1. Any unspent SNAP benefits remaining when the proceeding month’s benefits are deposited on any EBT account shall be expunged. 7 USC § 2020 shall be amended accordingly.

   2. No person receiving SNAP benefits shall receive deposit fees for returned cans or bottles greater than $20 per household per month. 7 USC § 2012(k)(1) shall be amended accordingly.

   3. The regulation requiring food vendors to carry a minimum number of staple foods to participate in the program is hereby eliminated.

   4. Chewing gum shall not be an eligible item to purchase with SNAP benefits.

  5. At the beginning of fiscal year 2024 authorization for the following programs administered by SNAP shall expire and all related funding shall be redirected to assist in paying for the eligibility expansion contained herein:

     A. Media and enrollment campaign activities. 7 USC § 2025(a)(4) shall be amended accordingly.
     B. SNAP Performance Bonus Program. 7 USC § 2025(d) shall be amended accordingly.
     C. SNAP Employment and Training program. 7 USC § 2025(h)(1)(A) shall be amended accordingly.
     D. SNAP nutrition education program. 7 USC § 2036a  shall be amended accordingly.
     E. SNAP Outreach Coalition.
     F. SNAP Outreach Grant Program.
     G. U.S.-Mexico partnership for nutrition assistance initiative. The MOU entered into (7/22/04) is hereby rescinded.

   6. At the beginning of fiscal year 2024 authorization for the following redundant programs shall expire and all related funding shall be redirected to assist in paying for the eligibility expansion contained herein:

     A. Afterschool Snack Program.
     B. Child and Adult Care Food Program.
     C. Commodity Supplemental Food Program. 7 USC § 612c shall be amended accordingly.
     D. Community Food Projects Competitive Grant Program.
     E. Emergency Food Assistance Program 7 USC § 2036(a) shall be amended accordingly.
     F. Indian Reservations Food Distribution Program.
     G. Fresh Food and Vegetable Program. 42 USC § 1769a shall be amended accordingly.
     H. Nutrition Information and Awareness Program. 7 USC § 3171 shall be amended accordingly.
     I. Seniors Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program. 7 USC § 3007 shall be amended accordingly.
     J. Special Milk Program.
     K. Summer Food Service Program.
     L. WIC Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program.
     M. Nutrition Cash Payments in Puerto Rico. 7 USC § 2028(a)(2)(B) shall be amended accordingly.

SECTION IV: MISCELLANEOUS CHANGES

a. The cap on SSI overpayment recoveries is hereby eliminated.

b. On January 1, 2024, authorization to carry out the HOPE VI currently administered by HUD shall expire.

c. On January 1, 2024, authorization to carry out the Housing Counselors Program and Mobility Counselors Program currently administered by HUD shall expire.

d. Beginning in fiscal year 2024, no CDBG funds awarded shall be expended on community centers, signs, banners, landscaping, parking lots, or decorative streetscape.

e. No person shall be eligible to collect both federal Unemployment Insurance payments and Social Security Disability Insurance payments simultaneously.

f. No person whose annual income exceeds $1 Million shall be eligible to collect Unemployment Insurance payments during that year.

g. Long-term Emergency federal Unemployment Insurance payments shall be capped at seventy-five (75) consecutive weeks.

h. On January 1, 2024, authorization to carry out the Title X Family Planning Program currently administered by HHS shall expire.

i. Federal funding for fiscal year 2024 for the following federal scholarships shall be redirected into the Pell Grant Program:

   1. The Barry Goldwater Scholarship
   2. The Fulbright Scholarship
   3. The James Madison Fellowship
   4. The Harry S. Truman Scholarship
   5. The Udall Scholarship
   6. HUD Doctoral Scholarship

j.  Prostitution, employment in a brothel, or employment as an adult entertainer shall not constitute available, eligible, or potential employment, work, or jobs for the purpose of work requirements. No person shall be denied any benefit or award with a work requirement for declining or refusing to accept employment as a prostitute, employee of a brothel, or adult entertainer, nor shall any job placement service recommend such employment to any person.

SECTION V: TIMING

a. Unless otherwise specified herein, the provisions of this act shall take effect six (6) months from the date of passage.

[Saint Milei]

Nay

[Mr. Reactionary]

Aye

[GregTheGreat657]

Aye

[West_Midlander]

Aye

[Utah Neolib]

Nay

[PPT Spiral]

Nay

[OSR stands with Israel]

Aye

[Deep Dixieland Senator, Muad'dib (OSR MSR)]

aye

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Aye

[Enduro]

Motion for vote extension

[Enduro]

My final vote is aye; thank you to everyone for your patience.

[Mr. Reactionary]

Bill passes 7-4-0-7.

[Mr. Reactionary]

COMMONSENSE PROGRAM REFORM ACT
SENATE BILL

to make government more efficient, make it easier to get food stamps, and redirect federal money to better welfare programs
Be it enacted:

SECTION I.: NAME

a.  This Act may be cited as the Commonsense Welfare Reform Act.

SECTION II: AGENCY CONSOLIDATION

a. The Subdepartment of Health and Human Services (HHS) shall be renamed the Subdepartment of Human Services and Welfare (HSW)

b. The following agencies, and all related programs, administrative powers, obligations, and duties shall be transferred to the DHW:

   1. The Social Security Administration (SSA)

   2. The Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), currently part of the Subdepartment of Agriculture

   3. The Office of Housing, currently part of the Subdepartment of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) with the exception of the Federal Housing Administration which shall remain within HUD and all activities and powers related to the administration of the Manufactured Housing Program which shall be transferred to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).

   4. The Employment and Training Administration (ETA), currently part of the Subdepartment of Labor, with the exception of all activities and powers related to the administration of the Agricultural Worker’s Survey Program which shall transfer to the Census Bureau, currently part of the Subdepartment of Commerce.

   5. The Veterans’ Employment and Training Service (VETS), currently part of the Subdepartment of Labor.

   6. The Office of Federal Student Aid, currently part of the Subdepartment of Education.

c. The following offices and agencies and all related programs, powers, obligations, and duties shall be transferred from HSW:

   1. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to the Subdepartment of Commerce.

   2. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to the Department of Justice.

d. The administrator of HSW shall oversee the creation of a cross-program database of program beneficiaries to better monitor against fraud and abuse.

e. After 60 days of non-repayment following notice, HSW shall have the authority to recover benefit overpayments from one program by deducting the amount from other programs the beneficiary is collecting from.

f. HSW shall hire an additional 35 Administrative Law Judges (ALJ) to hear Atlascare appeals, and an additional 5 ALJs to hear appeals from the SSA. Funding for these judges shall come from the savings realized in this bill.

SECTION III: NUTRITION PROGRAMS

a. Eligibility

   1. Eligibility for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) shall be expanded to include persons earning up to 150% of the poverty line and persons who own less than $5,000 in assets.

   2. No person otherwise eligible for SNAP benefits shall be excluded from the program due to past criminal or felony conviction. Nothing in this clause prohibits federal employees from investigating potential fraud. 7 U.S.C. § 2015 shall be amended accordingly.

   3. SNAP receiving households that receive substantial winnings from any lottery or from gambling where such winnings would lead to the disqualification of the household from SNAP eligibility shall report such winnings to the DHWS within fifteen (15) days of receiving such winnings and shall be liable for reimbursement for any SNAP funds spent after that period. 7 U.S.C. § 2015 shall be amended accordingly.

   4. SNAP eligibility may not be determined on the basis of participating in a State or Regional low-income heating and energy assistance program. 7 USC § 2014(e)(6)(C) shall be amended accordingly.

   5. Adult college students shall not be eligible to receive SNAP benefits unless the student is employed, is participating in career and technical training programs, or in a work study program. 7 USC § 2015(e)(3)(B) shall be amended accordingly.

b. Savings and Fraud Prevention  

   1. Any unspent SNAP benefits remaining when the proceeding month’s benefits are deposited on any EBT account shall be expunged. 7 USC § 2020 shall be amended accordingly.

   2. No person receiving SNAP benefits shall receive deposit fees for returned cans or bottles greater than $20 per household per month. 7 USC § 2012(k)(1) shall be amended accordingly.

   3. The regulation requiring food vendors to carry a minimum number of staple foods to participate in the program is hereby eliminated.

   4. Chewing gum shall not be an eligible item to purchase with SNAP benefits.

  5. At the beginning of fiscal year 2024 authorization for the following programs administered by SNAP shall expire and all related funding shall be redirected to assist in paying for the eligibility expansion contained herein:

     A. Media and enrollment campaign activities. 7 USC § 2025(a)(4) shall be amended accordingly.
     B. SNAP Performance Bonus Program. 7 USC § 2025(d) shall be amended accordingly.
     C. SNAP Employment and Training program. 7 USC § 2025(h)(1)(A) shall be amended accordingly.
     D. SNAP nutrition education program. 7 USC § 2036a  shall be amended accordingly.
     E. SNAP Outreach Coalition.
     F. SNAP Outreach Grant Program.
     G. U.S.-Mexico partnership for nutrition assistance initiative. The MOU entered into (7/22/04) is hereby rescinded.

   6. At the beginning of fiscal year 2024 authorization for the following redundant programs shall expire and all related funding shall be redirected to assist in paying for the eligibility expansion contained herein:

     A. Afterschool Snack Program.
     B. Child and Adult Care Food Program.
     C. Commodity Supplemental Food Program. 7 USC § 612c shall be amended accordingly.
     D. Community Food Projects Competitive Grant Program.
     E. Emergency Food Assistance Program 7 USC § 2036(a) shall be amended accordingly.
     F. Indian Reservations Food Distribution Program.
     G. Fresh Food and Vegetable Program. 42 USC § 1769a shall be amended accordingly.
     H. Nutrition Information and Awareness Program. 7 USC § 3171 shall be amended accordingly.
     I. Seniors Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program. 7 USC § 3007 shall be amended accordingly.
     J. Special Milk Program.
     K. Summer Food Service Program.
     L. WIC Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program.
     M. Nutrition Cash Payments in Puerto Rico. 7 USC § 2028(a)(2)(B) shall be amended accordingly.

SECTION IV: MISCELLANEOUS CHANGES

a. The cap on SSI overpayment recoveries is hereby eliminated.

b. On January 1, 2024, authorization to carry out the HOPE VI currently administered by HUD shall expire.

c. On January 1, 2024, authorization to carry out the Housing Counselors Program and Mobility Counselors Program currently administered by HUD shall expire.

d. Beginning in fiscal year 2024, no CDBG funds awarded shall be expended on community centers, signs, banners, landscaping, parking lots, or decorative streetscape.

e. No person shall be eligible to collect both federal Unemployment Insurance payments and Social Security Disability Insurance payments simultaneously.

f. No person whose annual income exceeds $1 Million shall be eligible to collect Unemployment Insurance payments during that year.

g. Long-term Emergency federal Unemployment Insurance payments shall be capped at seventy-five (75) consecutive weeks.

h. On January 1, 2024, authorization to carry out the Title X Family Planning Program currently administered by HHS shall expire.

i. Federal funding for fiscal year 2024 for the following federal scholarships shall be redirected into the Pell Grant Program:

   1. The Barry Goldwater Scholarship
   2. The Fulbright Scholarship
   3. The James Madison Fellowship
   4. The Harry S. Truman Scholarship
   5. The Udall Scholarship
   6. HUD Doctoral Scholarship

j.  Prostitution, employment in a brothel, or employment as an adult entertainer shall not constitute available, eligible, or potential employment, work, or jobs for the purpose of work requirements. No person shall be denied any benefit or award with a work requirement for declining or refusing to accept employment as a prostitute, employee of a brothel, or adult entertainer, nor shall any job placement service recommend such employment to any person.

SECTION V: TIMING

a. Unless otherwise specified herein, the provisions of this act shall take effect six (6) months from the date of passage.

Passed 7-4-0-7 in the Atlasian Senate Assembled.

- R, PPT