119-hr2475

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2475 Introduced in House

    (IH) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
 H. R. 2475

 To establish a pilot program to provide financial and non-financial 
 housing assistance to certain homeless individuals, to provide for a 
 study of the effects of the pilot program, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 March 27, 2025

 Ms. Tlaib (for herself, Ms. Ansari, Ms. Schakowsky, Mr. Garcia of 
 California, Mr. McGovern, Ms. Norton, Mr. Johnson of Georgia, Mrs. 
Ramirez, and Mrs. Watson Coleman) introduced the following bill; which 
was referred to the Committee on Financial Services, and in addition to 
 the Committee on Ways and Means, 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 establish a pilot program to provide financial and non-financial 
 housing assistance to certain homeless individuals, to provide for a 
 study of the effects of the pilot program, 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 ``Youth Homelessness Guaranteed Income 
Pilot Program Act of 2025''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

 The Congress finds the following:

    (1) Each year, an estimated 4,200,000 youth and young 
 adults experience homelessness in the United States.

    (2) Youth and young adults face many barriers to safe and 
 stable housing, such as systemic and structural racism, age 
 discrimination, and a scarce supply of affordable housing 
 suitable for occupancy.

    (3) Black, Indigenous, and other youth and young adults of 
 color have been systematically excluded from employment 
 opportunities and access to stable income.

    (4) Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, 1 in 5 young people of 
 color were living in poverty, as opposed to 1 in 9 young White 
 people, and the impact of the pandemic has resulted in an 
 exponential widening of the inequity faced by Black, 
 Indigenous, and other youth and young adults of color when 
 seeking safe housing and careers of their choice with stable 
 income.

    (5) Full-time minimum-wage earners cannot afford the 
 average cost of a 2-bedroom apartment anywhere in the United 
 States.

    (6) The changing nature of the economy--including the 
 growth of the ``gig economy'' in which workers earn income 
 providing on-demand work, services, or goods; unemployment 
 risks posed by automation; and the fluctuating nature of waged 
 labor--will result in increased income volatility and prevent 
 upward economic mobility, especially among young adults.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

 In this Act:

    (1) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term 
 ``appropriate congressional committees'' means--
        (A) the Committee on Financial Services of the 
 House of Representatives;
        (B) the Committee on Ways and Means of the House of 
 Representatives;
            (C) the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban 
 Affairs of the Senate; and
            (D) the Committee on Finance of the Senate.

    (2) Certified community development financial 
 institution.--The term ``certified community development 
 financial institution'' means a community development financial 
 institution, as defined in 

section 103 of the Community 
 Development Banking and Financial Institutions Act of 1994 (12 
 U.S.C. 4702), certified by the Community Development Financial 
 Institutions Fund under 

section 1805.201 of title 12, Code of 
 Federal Regulations.

    (3) Council.--The term ``Council'' means the National Youth 
 Economic Advisory Council.

    (4) Database.--The term ``database'' means the database 
 created under 

section 4

    (b)

    (1) .

    (5) Fair market rent.--The term ``fair market rent'' means 
 the applicable fair market rental established pursuant to 
 

section 8
            (c) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 
 U.S.C. 1437f
            (c) ).

    (6) Historically marginalized communities.--The term 
 ``historically marginalized communities'' includes low-income 
 communities and minority religious, racial, and ethnic groups.

    (7) Homeless.--The term ``homeless'' has the meaning given 
 that term in 

section 103 of the McKinney-Vento Homeless 
 Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 11302) and includes homeless children 
 and youths as defined in 

section 725 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 
 11434a).

    (8) Low-income geographic area.--The term ``low-income 
 geographic area'' has the meaning given that term in 

section 351 of the Small Business Investment Act of 1958 (15 U.S.C. 
 689).

    (9) Payment-receiving group.--The term ``payment-receiving 
 group'' means the group designated to receive cash payments 
 pursuant to 

section 4
            (c) (3) .

    (10) Pilot program.--The term ``pilot program'' means the 
 Youth Homelessness Guaranteed Income Pilot Program.

    (11) Program payment.--The term ``program payment'' means a 
 payment made under 

section 4
            (c) (3) .

    (12) Racial and ethnic minority group.--The term ``racial 
 and ethnic minority group'' has the meaning given the term in 
 

section 1707

    (g) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 
 300u-6

    (g) ).

    (13) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
 of Health and Human Services.

    (14) Socially disadvantaged group.--The term ``socially 
 disadvantaged group'' means a group whose members have been 
 subjected to racial, ethnic, or gender prejudice because of 
 their identity as members of a group without regard to their 
 individual qualities.

SEC. 4. THE YOUTH HOMELESSNESS GUARANTEED INCOME PILOT PROGRAM.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary shall establish a program, entitled 
the ``Youth Homelessness Guaranteed Income Pilot Program'', to provide 
housing assistance to certain eligible individuals in accordance with 
this section.

    (b) Preparation.--Within 2 years after the date of the enactment of 
this Act:

    (1) Database of homeless individuals.--
        (A) Creation of database.--The Secretary shall 
 create a database of individuals who are homeless while 
 living in the United States containing the information 
 described in 

section 6

    (b)

    (1) .
        (B) Eligible participants.--Based on the 
 recommendations issued by the Council under 

section 6

    (b)

    (1) , the Secretary--
            (i) shall make reasonable efforts using 
 reliable sources to identify homeless 
 individuals for inclusion in the database; and
            (ii) may communicate recommendations to the 
 Secretary of Agriculture, the Secretary of 
 Education, or the Secretary of Housing and 
 Urban Development with respect to the 
 prescription of regulations described in 
 subparagraph
            (C) .
            (C) Authority to prescribe regulations.--The 
 Secretary of Agriculture, the Secretary of Education, 
 and the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development may 
 each prescribe regulations requiring a recipient of 
 funds or other assistance under the McKinney-Vento 
 Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 11301-11435)--
            (i) to make reasonable efforts to identify 
 homeless individuals who receive benefits or 
 assistance provided through the funds; and
            (ii) to submit sufficient information to 
 the Secretary for the homeless individuals to 
 be listed in the database.
            (D) Requirements for database information.--The 
 Secretary--
            (i) shall verify the accuracy of the 
 information in the database;
            (ii) shall include in the database, with 
 respect to each individual listed in the 
 database, only the information necessary to--
            (I) determine the eligibility of 
 the individual to participate in the 
 pilot program; or
            (II) administer the pilot program 
 with the individual as a participant; 
 and
            (iii) may not include in the database any 
 information about the citizenship status, 
 immigration status, or Social Security number 
 of any individual listed in the database.
        (E) Report to congress on the database.--The 
 Secretary shall submit a written report to the 
 appropriate congressional committees describing the 
 process used to create the database.

    (2) Selection of pilot program participants.--
        (A) Criteria.--The Secretary, in coordination with 
 the External Partner and the Council, shall develop 
 criteria for the selection of pilot program 
 participants that are--
            (i) consistent with the objectives of the 
 study described in 

section 5;
            (ii) inclusive of low-income geographic 
 areas; and
            (iii) representative of the demographics of 
 the population of homeless individuals in the 
 United States who have not attained 30 years of 
 age.
        (B) Selection.--The Secretary shall select, 
 consistent with the criteria developed under 
 subparagraph
        (A) , not more than 105,000 individuals 
 listed in the database to participate in the pilot 
 program, each of whom shall be--
            (i) an emancipated minor; or
            (ii) an individual who has attained 18 
 years of age but not 30 years of age.
            (C) Impermissible factors.--The Secretary may not 
 use citizenship or immigration status as factors in the 
 selection of pilot program participants.

    (3) Conditions for participation in the pilot program.--An 
 individual may not participate in the pilot program until the 
 individual, in a form and manner determined by the Secretary--
        (A) consents to the disclosure of Federal and State 
 income tax return information of the individual to the 
 Secretary and the External Partner; and
        (B) discloses other personal information determined 
 by the Secretary to be necessary for the administration 
 of the pilot program and the study described in 

section 5, including the ZIP Code of the primary place of 
 residence maintained by the individual.
            (c) Provision of Assistance.--

    (1) Duration.--The Secretary shall provide the assistance 
 described in this subsection to the pilot program participants 
 for 36 consecutive months.

    (2) Assistance available to all participants.--Based on the 
 recommendations issued by the Council under 

section 6

    (b)

    (2) , 
 and in consultation with the External Partner, the Secretary 
 shall, directly or by contract or cooperative agreement, 
 provide to each participant, appropriate to the circumstances 
 of the participant, the following:
        (A) Housing navigation services.
        (B) Financial coaching courses.
            (C) Workforce development services.
            (D) Educational attainment services.
        (E) Education on the landlord-tenant laws of the 
 jurisdiction of residence of the participant and the 
 rights that the participant would have as a tenant.
        (F) Additional services recommended by the Council 
 and the External Partner, at the discretion of the 
 Secretary.
        (G) Assistance in identifying, applying for, and 
 using any service or assistance available to the 
 participant that is funded under the McKinney-Vento 
 Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 11301-11435).

    (3) Cash payments to the payment-receiving group.--
        (A) Division into 2 groups.--The Secretary shall--
            (i) divide the participants randomly into 2 
 groups, approximately equal in size and equally 
 representative with respect to the criteria for 
 the selection of participants; and
            (ii) designate 1 group to receive cash 
 payments pursuant to this paragraph.
        (B) Frequency; amount.--
            (i) In general.--The Secretary shall make a 
 payment to each member of the payment-receiving 
 group every month for the duration described in 
 paragraph

    (1) , with each monthly payment in the 
 amount equal to or the greater of $1,400 or the 
 adjusted fair market rent cost for the member 
 involved.
            (ii) Adjusted fair market rent cost.--The 
 Secretary shall determine the adjusted fair 
 market rent cost for such a member based on the 
 fair market rent cost for a 2-bedroom home in 
 the ZIP Code designated by the member and any 
 modifications recommended by the Council under 
 

section 6

    (b)

    (4) .
            (iii) Lump sum payment permitted for the 
 1st year.--Notwithstanding clause
            (i) , not more 
 than half of the members of the payment-
 receiving group may elect to receive not more 
 than the first 12 monthly payments under clause
            (i) in a single lump sum payment.
            (C) Forms of payment.--The Secretary shall make 
 each program payment by whichever of the following 
 methods is elected by the participant involved:
            (i) Cash.
            (ii) Electronic funds transfer.
            (iii) Prepaid debit card.
            (iv) Any other method offered by the 
 Secretary.
            (D) Day of payment.--Each member of the payment-
 receiving group may elect to receive the monthly 
 payment on the first or last weekday of the month that 
 is not a legal public holiday.
            (d) Privacy Protections.--

    (1) Disclosures prohibited.--A person shall not disclose 
 any information related to the pilot program, except to the 
 extent permitted by regulations prescribed under paragraph

    (2) .

    (2) Regulations for sharing information.--The Secretary, in 
 consultation with the Council and External Partner, may 
 prescribe regulations to provide for the sharing of information 
 in the database, without personal identifiers, with nonprofit 
 organizations and academic institutions for noncommercial 
 research purposes.

    (3) Destruction of database.--The Secretary shall destroy 
 the database within 30 days after the Council terminates.

    (4) Violations.--
        (A) Any person who, by virtue of an official 
 position or affiliation with the Secretary, the 
 Council, or the External Partner--
            (i) has possession of, or access to, any 
 record containing individually identifiable 
 information the disclosure of which is 
 prohibited by or under this Act; and
            (ii) knowingly discloses such a record to 
 any person or agency not entitled to receive 
 the record,
 shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and fined not more 
 than $25,000.
        (B) Any person who knowingly requests or obtains 
 any record related to the pilot program from the 
 Secretary, the Council, or the External Partner under 
 false pretenses shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and 
 fined not more than $25,000.

    (e) Relationship to Other Programs, Benefits, and Laws.--
Notwithstanding any other provision of law:

    (1) Participation in the pilot program, including the 
 receipt of program payments, may not be considered for the 
 purposes of determining--
        (A) the eligibility of a participant for, or the 
 amount or timing of, any benefit or assistance under 
 any Federal program or under any State or local program 
 financed, in whole or in part, with Federal funds; or
        (B) whether a participant is a public charge under 
 

section 212

    (a)

    (4) of the Immigration and Nationality 
 Act (8 U.S.C. 1182

    (a)

    (4) ) or 

section 237

    (a)

    (5) of such 
 Act (8 U.S.C. 1227

    (a)

    (5) ).

    (2) For purposes of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, 
 gross income shall not include any program payment to a 
 participant.

    (3) Section 401 of the Personal Responsibility and Work 
 Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (8 U.S.C. 1611) shall 
 not apply to this Act.

SEC. 5. STUDY.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary shall conduct, in coordination with 
the External Partner selected pursuant to this section, a study on the 
effects of the pilot program.

    (b) Objectives.--The primary objectives of the study shall be--

    (1) to analyze the effect of the program payments on--
        (A) the housing outcomes of the pilot program 
 participants;
        (B) the microeconomic outcomes of the participants;
            (C) the physical and mental health and well-being 
 of the participants; and
            (D) the social cost attributable to income 
 volatility and homelessness, including through public 
 expenditures for government-provided services in 
 health, education, employment, and childcare; and

    (2) to evaluate the feasibility of--
        (A) expanding the pilot program to include more 
 participants in the payment-receiving group; and
        (B) using direct cash transfers to reduce 
 homelessness in the United States.
            (c) Selection of the External Partner.--

    (1) In general.--Within 270 days after the date of 
 enactment of this Act, and before complying with 

section 4

    (b)

    (2) , the Secretary shall choose an organization with 
 demonstrated experience and expertise in mixed-methods 
 experimental design and the implementation of cash-transfer 
 programs and randomized controlled trials to be the External 
 Partner.

    (2) Conditions on selection.--The Secretary may require the 
 External Partner to employ the services of certain qualified 
 individuals in carrying out the responsibilities of the 
 External Partner under this Act.

    (3) Compensation for services rendered.--The Secretary may 
 pay not more than the hourly equivalent of the annual rate of 
 basic pay for grade GS-12, step 5, of the General Schedule for 
 each hour (including travel time) during which a person 
 affiliated with the External Partner is engaged in the 
 performance of duties of the External Partner under this 
 section.
            (d) Duties of the External Partner.--

    (1) Selection of study criteria.--The External Partner 
 shall make recommendations to the Secretary on--
        (A) how to accomplish the primary objectives 
 described in subsection

    (b) ; and
        (B) additional objectives for the study.

    (2) Data collection.--Under the oversight of the Secretary, 
 the External Partner shall collect the data required for the 
 study and may use any information about a pilot program 
 participant given by the Secretary to the External Partner for 
 the study.

    (e) Reports to Congress.--The Secretary, in consultation with the 
External Partner, shall submit to the appropriate congressional 
committees--

    (1) an interim report, within 24 months after the 
 commencement of pilot program services; and

    (2) a final report, within 12 months after the conclusion 
 of the pilot program services.

SEC. 6. NATIONAL YOUTH ECONOMIC ADVISORY COUNCIL.

    (a) Establishment.--The Secretary shall establish the National 
Youth Economic Advisory Council.

    (b) Duties.--

    (1) Recommendations for the database and the selection of 
 the external partner.--The Council shall issue recommendations 
 to the Secretary with respect to--
        (A) the identification and utilization of reliable 
 sources of information for identifying homeless 
 individuals and listing the individuals in the database 
 with sufficient information for the Secretary to select 
 any individual listed in the database to participate in 
 the pilot program;
        (B) any regulation that may be prescribed by the 
 Secretary of Education, the Secretary of Agriculture, 
 or the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development with 
 respect to the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act 
 (42 U.S.C. 11301-11435) to facilitate the 
 identification of homeless individuals for inclusion in 
 the database; and
            (C) the selection of the External Partner.

    (2) Recommendations for the selection criteria.--The 
 Council shall issue recommendations to the Secretary with 
 respect to the selection criteria for pilot program 
 participants that are consistent with the objectives of the 
 study and with the demographics of the homeless population in 
 the United States.

    (3) Recommendations for forms of assistance.--The Council 
 shall issue recommendations to the Secretary on the forms of 
 assistance to be provided to a pilot program participant 
 pursuant to 

section 4
            (c) (2) .

    (4) Recommendations for the adjusted fair market cost.--The 
 Council shall issue recommendations to the Secretary on 
 modifications to the fair market cost in the determination of 
 the adjusted fair market cost under 

section 4
            (c) (3)
        (B)
            (ii) .

    (5) Recommendations for administration of the program.--The 
 Council may issue recommendations to the Secretary for 
 improving the performance and administration of the pilot 
 program.

    (6) Recommendations for the study.--The Council may issue 
 recommendations to the Secretary or the External Partner on 
 other objectives of the study.
            (c) Membership.--

    (1) Appointment.--
        (A) Regular members.--The Secretary shall appoint 
 the following regular members of the Council:
            (i) A member representing the Secretary, 
 who shall chair the Council.
            (ii) A representative from a national 
 nonprofit homeless youth organization.
            (iii) A representative from a national 
 nonprofit civil rights organization 
 representing historically marginalized 
 communities or socially disadvantaged groups.
            (iv) A representative from a national 
 organization representing LGBTQ+ populations.
            (v) A representative from an economic 
 research organization or academic institution 
 with expertise in cash-transfer programs.
            (vi) A representative from a community 
 advocacy organization with expertise in cash-
 transfer programs.
            (vii) A representative from a certified 
 community development financial institution 
 whose central demographic is of a racial and 
 ethnic minority group.
            (viii) A member representing the Department 
 of Housing and Urban Development, nominated by 
 the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development.
            (ix) A member representing the Department 
 of Education, nominated by the Secretary of 
 Education.
        (B) Authorized members.--The Secretary shall 
 appoint to the Council 3 individuals included in the 
 database who were not selected as pilot program 
 participants, after the Secretary begins providing the 
 services under 

section 4
            (c) .

    (2) Continuation of membership.--If an incumbent member is 
 appointed to the Council as a representative of an organization 
 and the incumbent member ceases to be affiliated with the 
 organization, the incumbent member may continue as a member 
 until the Secretary appoints a new member in the stead of the 
 incumbent member.

    (3) Removal.--The Secretary may remove a member for 
 inefficiency, neglect of duty, or malfeasance in office.
            (d) Pay.--

    (1) Rates of pay.--Members of the Council shall each be 
 entitled to receive the daily equivalent of the annual rate of 
 basic pay for grade GS-14, step 10, of the General Schedule for 
 each day (including travel time) during which such members are 
 engaged in the performance of duties of the Council.

    (2) Prohibition of compensation of federal employees.--
 Notwithstanding paragraph

    (1) , the members of the Council who 
 are full-time officers or employees of the United States or 
 Members of Congress for purposes of title 5, United States 
 Code, may not receive additional pay, allowances, or benefits 
 by reason of service on the Council.

    (3) Travel expenses.--Each member shall receive travel 
 expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, in 
 accordance with applicable provisions of subchapter I of 
 chapter 57 of title 5, United States Code.

    (e) Staff.--On request of the Council and on a reimbursable basis, 
for the purpose of assisting the Council in carrying out the duties of 
the Council, the Secretary, the Secretary of Education, and the 
Secretary of Health and Human Services may each detail to the Council 
any personnel of their respective departments.

    (f) Frequency of Meetings.--

    (1) In general.--The Council shall meet at least every 3 
 months.

    (2) Discretion of the secretary.--The Secretary may require 
 the Council to sit for additional meetings at the discretion of 
 the Secretary.

    (3) Discretion of the chair.--The Chair may require the 
 Council to sit for additional meetings at the discretion of the 
 Chair or on written request of \1/3\ of the members.

    (4) Notice to members.--The Chair shall give each member of 
 the Council notice of a meeting no fewer than 15 days before 
 the meeting.

    (g) Charter; Quorum.--

    (1) Council charter.--The Council shall comply with 

section 1008
            (c) of title 5, United States Code, as if--
        (A) the Council were an advisory committee but not 
 a Presidential advisory committee;
        (B) the Secretary were the head of the agency to 
 whom the advisory committee reports; and
            (C) the appropriate congressional committees were 
 the standing committees of the Senate and House of 
 Representatives having legislative jurisdiction over 
 the agency to which the advisory committee reports.

    (2) Additional contents in council charter.--The charter 
 filed pursuant to paragraph

    (1) shall contain provisions to 
 determine--
        (A) quorum;
        (B) the information required to be disclosed, in 
 any notice of a Council meeting, about the matters to 
 be discussed in the meeting;
            (C) when a member has a conflict of interest in a 
 matter being considered by the Council; and
            (D) the circumstances under which a conflict of 
 interest in a matter may or shall disqualify a member 
 from participating in considering, or voting on, the 
 matter.

    (3) Quorum.--Until the filing of the charter, a majority of 
 the members of the Council appointed shall constitute a quorum, 
 but a lesser number may hold hearings.

    (h) Powers.--

    (1) Hearings and sessions.--The Council may, for the 
 purpose of carrying out this section, hold hearings, sit and 
 act at times and places, take testimony, administer oaths or 
 affirmations to witnesses appearing before the Council, and 
 receive evidence as the Council considers appropriate.

    (2) Obtaining official data.--The Council may secure 
 directly from any department or agency of the United States 
 information necessary to enable the Council to carry out the 
 duties of the Council under this section.

    (3) Administrative support services.--On request of the 
 Council, the Administrator of General Services shall provide to 
 the Council, on a reimbursable basis, the administrative 
 support services necessary for the Commission to carry out the 
 duties of the Council under this section.
            (i) Reports.--

    (1) Interim reports.--The Council may submit to the 
 Secretary such interim reports as the Council considers 
 appropriate.

    (2) Final report.--The Council shall submit a final report 
 to the Secretary containing an assessment of the Council with 
 respect to--
        (A) the pilot program; and
        (B) the report submitted by the Secretary pursuant 
 to 

section 5

    (e)

    (2) .

    (j) Termination.--The Council shall terminate within 30 days after 
the Secretary submits the report pursuant to 

section 5

    (e)

    (2) .

    (k) Exemption From Federal Advisory Committee Act.--Except as 
provided in subsection

    (g)

    (1) of this section, chapter 10 of title 5, 
United States Code, shall not apply to the Council, but the Secretary 
may prescribe regulations directing the Council to comply with sections 
1009 through 1111 of such title if the Secretary determines that the 
compliance is necessary for the Council to discharge the duties of the 
Council.
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