MOM Act

[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 9707 Introduced in House (IH)]

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117th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 9707

  To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish a 
 block grant program to provide incentives to underage mothers to stay 
      in school and remain off of welfare, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 3, 2023

 Mr. Gohmert introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                    Committee on Education and Labor

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish a 
 block grant program to provide incentives to underage mothers to stay 
      in school and remain off of welfare, 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 ``Making Opportunities for Mothers 
Act'' or the ``MOM Act''.

SEC. 2. GRANT PROGRAM.

    (a) Establishment.--The Secretary of Health and Human Services 
shall establish a grant program under which the Secretary makes block 
grants to States to be administered in accordance with this section.
    (b) Use of Grant.--A State that receives a grant under subsection 
(a) shall use such grant to pay the cost of--
            (1) child care services for an eligible mother who is a 
        student enrolled in elementary school or secondary school or 
        enrolled on not less than a half-time basis in an institution 
        of higher education, which enable such mother to attend the 
        courses in which she is enrolled; and
            (2) child care services for an eligible mother described in 
        paragraph (1) who has employment after attending the courses in 
        which she is enrolled, which enable such mother to be so 
        employed.
    (c) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Elementary school.--The term ``elementary school'' has 
        the meaning given such term in section 8101 of the Elementary 
        and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801).
            (2) Eligible mother.--
                    (A) In general.--The term ``eligible mother'' means 
                an individual who--
                            (i) has not attained the age of 18;
                            (ii) has given birth to a child; and
                            (iii) has not been permanently separated 
                        from such child.
                    (B) Rule of construction.--Nothing in this Act 
                shall be construed to make a mother ineligible for 
                payments or services under this Act by virtue of being 
                married.
            (3) Institution of higher education.--The term 
        ``institution of higher education'' has the meaning given the 
        term in section 102 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
        U.S.C. 1002).
            (4) Secondary school.--The term ``secondary school'' has 
        the meaning given such term in section 8101 of the Elementary 
        and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801).
            (5) State.--In this section, the term ``State'' means the 
        several States and the District of Columbia.
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