119th Congress · introduced in the House · Jan 13, 2025
Drug Testing for Welfare Recipients Act
Official title from Congress.gov
Latest action (Feb 20, 2025): Referred to the Subcommittee on Nutrition and Foreign Agriculture.
View on Congress.govPolicy area: Social Welfare
Congressional Research Service summary, version: Introduced in House (Jan 13, 2025)
Drug Testing for Welfare Recipients Act
This bill requires states participating in the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, and specified public housing programs to subject applicants to substance abuse testing or screening and to deny benefits for individuals who test positive for a controlled substance.
Specifically, states administering these programs must determine whether an adult applicant for benefits has been arrested for a drug-related offense within the past five years. Applicants who have been arrested for such an offense must be tested for at least one controlled substance and must test negative to receive benefits. Applicants who have not been arrested for such an offense must be screened (via an interview, questionnaire, or other instrument) for risk of substance abuse. Applicants determined to be at high risk for substance abuse must be tested for at least one controlled substance and must test negative to receive benefits. Applicants who are determined not to be at high risk do not have to undergo testing.
Applicants who test positive for a controlled substance at any point during this process are ineligible for benefits for one year, until they complete a treatment program, or until they test negative for the substance, whichever is later.
Family members and households of individuals disqualified from receiving benefits under these provisions may generally continue to receive support.
States that fail to enforce these provisions are subject to reduced federal funding for these programs the following fiscal year.
No cosponsors.
Includes amendment, cloture, and procedural votes. Each is labeled with its exact question; only a passage question is a vote to pass the bill.
No recorded roll calls on this bill in coverage.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Nutrition and Foreign Agriculture.
Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committees on Agriculture, and Financial Services, 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 Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committees on Agriculture, and Financial Services, 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 Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committees on Agriculture, and Financial Services, 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.
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Actions from Congress.gov, newest first.
Drug, alcohol, tobacco use · Food assistance and relief · Intergovernmental relations · Low- and moderate-income housing · Poverty and welfare assistance · State and local government operations
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