Welfare Reform Act of 2022
This bill directs the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to establish a program to convey certain federal land to individuals who permanently waive eligibility for certain welfare programs.
The BLM shall have final discretion as to the allocation of land to such individuals but must provide them with a means to express their preference for available land, including whether the land will be used for residential or agricultural purposes.
The bill prohibits the sale of the land for a 10-year period.
[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 9701 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
117th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 9701
To direct the Secretary of the Interior to establish a program whereby
the Secretary shall convey certain Federal land to individuals who
permanently waive eligibility for certain welfare programs, and for
other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
December 30, 2022
Mr. Gohmert introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committees on
Ways and Means, Agriculture, Energy and Commerce, Financial Services,
Education and Labor, and the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently
determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such
provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To direct the Secretary of the Interior to establish a program whereby
the Secretary shall convey certain Federal land to individuals who
permanently waive eligibility for certain welfare programs, and for
other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Welfare Reform Act of 2022''.
SEC. 2. PURPOSE.
The purpose of this Act is to help break the chain of a lifetime on
welfare and give such a bold step up that it will start recipients on
the road to success and independence.
SEC. 3. LAND CONVEYANCE PROGRAM.
(a) Establishment.--Not later than 1 year after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall establish a program whereby
the Secretary shall convey Federal land under the administrative
jurisdiction of the Bureau of Land Management to each covered
individual who--
(1) applies for and is approved for participation in the
Program; and
(2) permanently waives eligibility for certain Federal
welfare programs pursuant to subsection (d).
(b) Land To Be Conveyed.--
(1) In general.--Subject to the limitations in paragraph
(2), the Secretary shall determine the amount and location of
Federal land under the administrative jurisdiction of the
Bureau of Land Management to be conveyed to each covered
individual who is approved for participation in the Program.
(2) Limitations.--
(A) Type of land.--In carrying out the Program, the
Secretary may only convey land to a covered individual
for one of the following purposes:
(i) Residential purposes.
(ii) Agricultural purposes.
(B) Residential land.--In the case of residential
land (land to be conveyed under the Program to be used
for residential purposes), the Secretary may only
convey to each covered individual land that is--
(i) not more than 1 acre; and
(ii) contiguous.
(C) Agricultural land.--In the case of agricultural
land (land to be conveyed under the Program to be used
for agricultural purposes), the Secretary may only
convey to each covered individual land--
(i) that is not more than 50 acres;
(ii) that is contiguous; and
(iii) at least 50 percent of which is
suitable for farming.
(D) Non-use of agricultural land.--
(i) In general.--A covered individual that
receives agricultural land under the Program
shall, with respect to the portions of such
land that are suitable for farming, use the
land for agricultural purposes for at least 10
years after receiving the land.
(ii) Reverter.--If a covered individual
fails to use agricultural land for agricultural
purposes as described in clause (i), all of the
agricultural land conveyed to such covered
individual under the Program shall--
(I) revert to the United States for
administration by the Secretary; and
(II) be made available for
conveyance to another covered
individual under the Program.
(iii) Continued eligibility for the
program.--If agricultural land reverts to the
Secretary under clause (ii), after the 3-year
period beginning on the date of such reversion,
the covered individual to whom the reversion
applies may apply for, and receive, residential
land under the Program.
(c) Application.--
(1) In general.--A covered individual seeking to
participate in the Program shall submit to the Secretary an
application at such time, in such manner, and containing such
information as the Secretary may require.
(2) Availability of land.--The Secretary shall make
available to covered individuals approved for participation in
the Program a list of available land, including copies of the
deeds to such land.
(3) Allocation.--The Secretary shall have final discretion
as to the allocation of land to covered individuals
participating in the Program, but shall provide such covered
individuals a means by which to express their preference for
available land listed pursuant to paragraph (2), including
whether the land will be used for residential or agricultural
purposes.
(d) Eligibility for Certain Federal Welfare Programs Waived.--
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, upon receiving land under
the Program, a covered individual waives eligibility for, and may not
receive benefits from, the following welfare programs:
(1) The supplemental nutrition assistance program under the
Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.).
(2) The special supplemental nutrition program for women,
infants, and children under section 17 of the Child Nutrition
Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1786).
(3) The emergency food assistance program under the
Emergency Food Assistance Act of 1983 (7 U.S.C. 7501 et seq.).
(4) The program of block grants to States for temporary
assistance for needy families under part A of title IV of the
Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 601 et seq.).
(5) Programs or activities funded through the block grant
program under title V of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 701
et seq.).
(6) The tax credit allowable under section 32 of the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986.
(7) The National Family Planning Program (title X of the
Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300 et seq.; relating to
family planning).
(8) The Community Development Block Grant program under
title I of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974
(42 U.S.C. 5301 et seq.).
(9) The Project-Based Rental Assistance program under
section 8 of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C.
1437f).
(10) The Housing Choice Voucher program under section 8(o)
of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437f(o)).
(11) The weatherization assistance program established
under part A of title IV of the Energy Conservation and
Production Act (42 U.S.C. 6861 et seq.).
(12) Programs and activities carried out under the Low-
Income Home Energy Assistance Act of 1981 (42 U.S.C. 8621 et
seq.).
(13) The education of migratory children program authorized
under part C of title I of the Elementary and Secondary
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6391 et seq.).
(14) The refugee assistance program authorized under
chapter 2 of title IV of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8
U.S.C. 1521 et seq.).
(e) Program Coordination.--The Secretary shall update the head of
each Federal department or agency with administrative jurisdiction over
a welfare program described in subsection (d) of the following:
(1) Not later than 30 days after receiving an application
from a covered individual to participate in the Program, that
such covered individual has applied to the Program.
(2) Not later than 30 days after approving the application
of a covered individual, that such covered individual has been
approved to participate in the Program.
(3) Not later than 30 days after conveying land to a
covered individual under the Program, that such covered
individual has received land under the Program and is no longer
eligible for certain Federal welfare programs pursuant to
subsection (d).
(f) Participation Limited to Individual.--
(1) In general.--No individual, including a guardian or
fiduciary, may--
(A) submit an application under subsection (c)(1)
on behalf of another individual; or
(B) waive the eligibility of another individual
with respect to a welfare program under this section.
(2) Survivor benefits.--If a covered individual
participates in the Program, a survivor of such covered
individual shall continue to be eligible for the welfare
programs described in subsection (d), unless such survivor
participates in the Program.
(g) Tax Implications for Married Covered Individuals.--In the case
of married covered individual who participates in the Program, section
32 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 shall be applied by treating
any income of such individual which would otherwise be earned income
(within the meaning of such section) as other than earned income.
(h) Sale of Land Prohibited for 10 Years.--Federal land conveyed
under this section may not be sold for the 10-year period immediately
following the conveyance of that land and the deed conveying such land
shall include a provision stating the same.
(i) Definitions.--In this Act:
(1) Covered individual.--The term ``covered individual''
means an individual who is--
(A) a citizen of the United States;
(B) 21 years of age or older; and
(C) notwithstanding the restrictions set forth in
this Act, eligible to receive benefits under a welfare
program described in subsection (d).
(2) Program.--The term ``Program'' means the program
established under subsection (a).
(3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of the Interior, acting through the Bureau of Land Management.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, Agriculture, Energy and Commerce, Financial Services, Education and Labor, and the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, Agriculture, Energy and Commerce, Financial Services, Education and Labor, and the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, Agriculture, Energy and Commerce, Financial Services, Education and Labor, and the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, Agriculture, Energy and Commerce, Financial Services, Education and Labor, and the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, Agriculture, Energy and Commerce, Financial Services, Education and Labor, and the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
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Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, Agriculture, Energy and Commerce, Financial Services, Education and Labor, and the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, Agriculture, Energy and Commerce, Financial Services, Education and Labor, and the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.