Bill > S2015

This bill, titled the Welfare Reform and Upward Mobility Act, aims to help individuals receiving assistance from "means-tested welfare programs" (programs designed to provide assistance specifically to low-income Americans) achieve self-sufficiency, while also providing greater transparency and control over government spending on these programs. Key provisions include strengthening work requirements for recipients of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), often referred to as "food stamps," by defining "able-bodied, work-capable adults" and requiring them to engage in work activation activities, with penalties for non-compliance that can affect the entire family unit. The bill also mandates the inclusion of total spending on means-tested welfare programs in the President's budget submissions and proposes an aggregate spending limit on these programs, with specific caps set for fiscal years 2016 and 2017, and inflation-adjusted limits thereafter. Additionally, it establishes a framework for reporting and allocating these spending limits within Congress and introduces grants to states to incentivize policies that promote self-sufficiency and reduce poverty. Finally, the bill includes provisions prohibiting federal funding for abortions, with exceptions for cases of rape, incest, or to save the life of the mother.