[Senate Report 117-148]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
Calendar No. 487
117th Congress } { Report
SENATE
2d Session } { 117-148
_______________________________________________________________________
TARGETING RESOURCES TO COMMUNITIES IN NEED ACT OF 2022
__________
R E P O R T
of the
COMMITTEE ON HOMELAND SECURITY AND
GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS
UNITED STATES SENATE
to accompany
S. 3552
TO PROVIDE AN INCREASED ALLOCATION OF
FUNDING UNDER CERTAIN PROGRAMS FOR ASSISTANCE
IN AREAS OF PERSISTENT POVERTY, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
September 13, 2022.--Ordered to be printed
COMMITTEE ON HOMELAND SECURITY AND GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS
GARY C. PETERS, Michigan, Chairman
THOMAS R. CARPER, Delaware ROB PORTMAN, Ohio
MAGGIE HASSAN, New Hampshire RON JOHNSON, Wisconsin
KYRSTEN SINEMA, Arizona RAND PAUL, Kentucky
JACKY ROSEN, Nevada JAMES LANKFORD, Oklahoma
ALEX PADILLA, California MITT ROMNEY, Utah
JON OSSOFF, Georgia RICK SCOTT, Florida
JOSH HAWLEY, Missouri
David M. Weinberg, Staff Director
Zachary I. Schram, Chief Counsel
Lena C. Chang, Director of Governmental Affairs
Matthew T. Cornelius, Senior Professional Staff Member
Pamela Thiessen, Minority Staff Director
Sam J. Mulopulos, Minority Deputy Staff Director
Cara G. Mumford, Minority Director of Governmental Affairs
Laura W. Kilbride, Chief Clerk
Calendar No. 487
117th Congress } { Report
SENATE
2d Session } { 117-148
======================================================================
TARGETING RESOURCES TO COMMUNITIES IN NEED
ACT OF 2022
_______
September 13, 2022.--Ordered to be printed
_______
Mr. Peters, from the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental
Affairs, submitted the following
R E P O R T
[To accompany S. 3552]
[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]
The Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental
Affairs, to which was referred the bill (S. 3552) to provide an
increased allocation of funding under certain programs for
assistance in areas of persistent poverty, and for other
purposes, having considered the same, reports favorably thereon
with an amendment (in the nature of a substitute) and
recommends that the bill, as amended, do pass.
CONTENTS
Page
I. Purpose and Summary..............................................1
II. Background and Need for the Legislation..........................2
III. Legislative History..............................................2
IV. Section-by-Section Analysis of the Bill, as Reported.............3
V. Evaluation of Regulatory Impact..................................4
VI. Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate........................4
VII. Changes in Existing Law Made by the Bill, as Reported............5
I. PURPOSE AND SUMMARY
S. 3552, the Targeting Resources to Communities in Need
Act, requires the Office of Management and Budget (OMB)
Director to develop and implement a plan to increase the share
of federal investments targeted to areas of persistent poverty
and other places with high and persistent poverty. In addition,
the bill requires OMB to issue guidance to agencies that
identifies the scope, share, and manner of targeted investment
programs and outlines measures to track these investments over
time.
The bill specifies that OMB must include a minimum goal for
federal investments in the targeted areas, which is an amount
that is greater than the amount proportional to their share of
the U.S. population. Additionally, the bill requires OMB to
annually report to Congress on programs that received increases
in funds, the amount of funds targeted to a covered area, the
percentage change of funds from the previous fiscal year, and
an assessment of the economic impact of the funding and
programs.
The bill also directs the Census Bureau to publish a list
of all defined ``areas of persistent poverty'' within 60 days
of this bill's enactment and annually thereafter. Finally, the
bill requires GAO to provide a report on the effectiveness of
the bill two years after enactment.
II. BACKGROUND AND THE NEED FOR LEGISLATION
According to the U.S. Census Bureau (Census), persistent
poverty counties are counties where at least 20 percent of the
population have remained at or below the poverty level for the
last 30 years.\1\ According to some of the most recent Census
data on persistent poverty, there are between 355 and 397
counties nationwide that fit the current definition.\2\
Further, recent Census data shows that approximately 41 million
people live in poverty in the United States.\3\ This bill aims
to ensure that federal dollars and resources distributed to
programs across the government reach communities that need them
the most. This bill would ensure that the agencies continuously
assess which programs they manage that may be able to provide
resources to high poverty areas, in alignment with guidance by
OMB.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\U.S. Census Bureau Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates
Program (https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe.html) (accessed
June 17, 2022).
\2\Congressional Research Service, The 10-20-30 Provision: Defining
Persistent Poverty Counties (https://sgp.fas.org/crs/misc/R45100.pdf)
(accessed June 17, 2022).
\3\U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey Data Table (https:/
/data.census.gov/cedsci/
table?t=Official%20Poverty%20Measure%3APoverty&tid=ACSST5Y2020.S1701)
(accessed June 17, 2022).
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III. LEGISLATIVE HISTORY
Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) introduced S. 3552, the
Targeting Resources to Communities in Need Act of 2022, on
February 1, 2022, with Ranking Member Rob Portman (R-OH). The
bill was referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and
Governmental Affairs.
The Committee considered S. 3552 at a business meeting on
May 25, 2022. During the business meeting, a substitute
amendment was offered by Chairman Peters and Ranking Member
Portman and adopted by voice vote. The Peters-Portman
substitute amendment updated the definition of ``High-Poverty
Census Tract'' to include estimates for areas when no survey
data from the American Community Survey is available. The
substitute amendment also makes technical corrections to align
the composition of requirements in the legislation to the text
of a companion bill in the House of Representatives.
Senator Scott offered an amendment that would have required
the OMB Director to review and study potential guidance and
measures to increase the share of federal investments for
communities in need, as opposed to issuing guidance and
measures within one year as required by the Peters-Portman
substitute amendment. The amendment was not adopted by a roll
call vote of 6 yeas and 8 nays. Senators Lankford, Romney,
Scott and Hawley voted in the affirmative. Senators Johnson and
Paul voted yea by proxy. Senators Peters, Hassan, Sinema,
Rosen, Padilla, Ossoff, and Portman voted in the negative.
Senator Carper voted no by proxy.
The bill, as amended, was ordered reported favorably by
voice vote. Senators Peters, Hassan, Sinema, Rosen, Padilla,
Ossoff, Portman, Lankford, Romney, Scott, and Hawley were
present. Senators Lankford, Romney, Scott, and Hawley were
recorded ``No.''
IV. SECTION-BY-SECTION ANALYSIS OF THE BILL, AS REPORTED
Section 1. Short title
This section cites the short title of the bill as the
``Targeting Resources to Communities in Need Act of 2022.''
Sec. 2. Increasing share of Federal resources to areas of persistent
poverty and other high-poverty areas
Subsection (a) directs the Director of the Office of
Management and Budget (Director), within one year, to implement
guidance and measures to increase the share of federal
investments targeted to areas of persistent poverty and other
places with high and persistent poverty determined by the
Director in consultation with other federal agencies.
The subsection also requires the Director to issue guidance
to agencies, within 120 days after the date of enactment that
identifies the scope, manner, and share of targeted investment
programs and outlines measures to track these investments over
time. This subsection also specifies that the minimum goal
should be to provide funding to areas of persistent poverty and
other places with high and persistent poverty at an amount
greater than the amount proportional to their share of the U.S.
population.
Finally, subsection (a) requires the Director to submit an
annual report to Congress that includes a list of agency
programs within the plan, the amount and the percentage change
of funds allocated to areas of persistent poverty and other
places with high and persistent poverty under each program, and
an assessment of their economic impacts that includes data on
impacted individuals disaggregated by household income, race,
gender, age, national origin, disability status, and whether
the individual lives in an urban, suburban, or rural area.
Subsection (b) directs the Bureau of the Census (Census) to
publish a list of all defined ``areas of persistent poverty''
within 60 days of this bill's enactment and annually
thereafter.
Subsection (c) directs the Government Accountability Office
to report to appropriate committees of Congress, as defined in
section (e), on the effectiveness and impact of the measures
not later than 2 years after the bill's enactment and two more
times not later than 10 years after the bill's enactment.
Subsection (d) authorizes $5,000,000 for the fiscal year
2023 for salaries and expenses to carry out this act.
Subsection (e) defines the terms ``appropriate committees
of Congress,'' ``area of persistent poverty,'' ``covered
area,'' ``Director,'' ``high-poverty census tract,'' and
``persistent poverty county.'' Below are the definitions:
``Appropriate committees of Congress'' refers to Senate
Committees including Appropriations, Budget, Commerce, Science,
and Transportation, and Homeland Security and Governmental
Affairs as well House Committees including Appropriations,
Budget, Energy and Commerce, Transportation and Infrastructure,
and Oversight and Reform.
``Area of persistent poverty'' refers to high-poverty
census tracts and persistent poverty counties.
``Covered area'' refers to an area of persistent poverty or
other area of high and persistent poverty described in
subsection (a).
``Director'' refers to the Director of the Office of
Management and Budget.
``High-poverty census tract'' refers to a census tract that
has a poverty rate of at least 20% measured by the most recent
American Community Survey 5-year survey published by the Census
or, in cases where no such data is collected from the American
Community Survey, a census tract in an area with a poverty rate
of at least 20% in the most recent decennial census.
``Persistent poverty county'' refers to a county division
with a poverty rate of at least 20% in the most recent year for
which updates are available and at least 25 of the last 30
years measured by the Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates
by the Census or other measure as determined by the Census.
V. EVALUATION OF REGULATORY IMPACT
Pursuant to the requirements of paragraph 11(b) of rule
XXVI of the Standing Rules of the Senate, the Committee has
considered the regulatory impact of this bill and determined
that the bill will have no regulatory impact within the meaning
of the rules. The Committee agrees with the Congressional
Budget Office's statement that the bill contains no
intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in the
Unfunded Mandates Reform Act (UMRA) and would impose no costs
on state, local, or tribal governments.
VI. CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE COST ESTIMATE
U.S. Congress,
Congressional Budget Office,
Washington, DC, September 7, 2022.
Hon. Gary Peters,
Chairman, Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, U.S.
Senate, Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. Chairman: The Congressional Budget Office has
prepared the enclosed cost estimate for S. 3552, the Targeting
Resources to Communities in Need Act of 2022.
If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be
pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Matthew
Pickford.
Sincerely,
Phillip L. Swagel,
Director.
Enclosure.
S. 3552 would direct the Office of Management and Budget to
provide guidance to increase the share of funds government
agencies target to areas of persistent poverty and to report on
that effort. In addition, the bill would direct the Bureau of
the Census to report a list of areas of persistent poverty and
the Government Accountability Office to report on the results
of implementing the bill. Finally, the bill would authorize the
appropriation of $5 million in 2023 for salaries and expenses.
S. 3552 would direct federal spending to areas of
persistent poverty but would not increase program funding or
alter legal authority for specific entitlement programs; thus,
enacting the bill would not affect direct spending or revenues.
Assuming appropriation of the authorized amount, CBO estimates
that implementing the bill would cost $5 million over the 2022-
2027 period.
The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Matthew
Pickford. The estimate was reviewed by H. Samuel Papenfuss,
Deputy Director of Budget Analysis.
VII. CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW MADE BY THE BILL, AS REPORTED
This legislation would make no change in existing law,
within the meaning of clauses (a) and (b) of subparagraph 12 of
rule XXVI of the Standing Rules of the Senate, because this
legislation would not repeal or amend any provision of current
law.