Two-Generation Economic Empowerment Act of 2020
A BILL
To establish programs to improve family economic security by breaking the cycle of multigenerational poverty, and for other purposes.
2. Findings; purposes
Findings— Congress finds the following:
Almost half, or 40 percent, of children in the United States are from low-income families, and at least 60 percent of Black, Hispanic, and Native American children live in low-income families.
Individuals caught in multigenerational poverty tend to lack the support needed to move beyond day-to-day situations, make long-term financial plans, and support the community around them.
Twenty-five percent of children in the United States live in single-parent households, and 69 percent of children who live in such households are from low-income families.
Many of the services and systems that are intended to help low-income families are fragmented, with approaches that address the needs of parents and children separately. These fragmented approaches often leave either the parent or the child behind and dim the family's chance at success.
In 2015, the Department of Agriculture estimated that more than 9,200,000 individuals in the United States are from low-income families that reside more than 1 mile from a supermarket, and 2,100,000 of such individuals do not have access to a car.
Healthy communities have a variety of components, including—
safe, sustainable, accessible, and affordable transportation options that enable—
children to commute to and from school safely; and
parents to seek work outside of their community;
housing that is affordable, high-quality, socially integrated, and location-efficient;
access to quality schools, parks and other recreational facilities, child care, libraries, financial services, and resources for other daily needs; and
support for healthy behavioral development of children and adolescents.
Economic research demonstrates—
a 13-percent return on investment in high-quality early childhood programs for a child for each year of the child’s life; and
that a college degree obtained by a parent is expected to double the parent's income.
For families who have an annual income of $25,000, or less, and have young children, a $3,000 increase in such annual income during the years of early childhood for such children yields a 17-percent increase in earnings for those children when those children become adults.
A successful 2-generation program will—
improve family economic security by creating opportunities for, and addressing the needs of, parents and children simultaneously, which can be measured in outcomes for both parents and children;
seek the input of parents who are served by the program and ensure their perspectives and experience inform the design of the program;
break the cycle of multigenerational poverty and create a cycle of family prosperity; and
foster and develop healthy communities.
The return on investment in education for children and their parents is high. Early childhood education programs help children develop new skills and prepare them for grade school. A parent’s level of educational attainment is the best predictor of a child’s success. Higher education opens the door to a stable career with a family-sustaining wage, providing opportunities for families to break the cycle of multigenerational poverty.
Work-family supports (such as paid family leave and access to high-quality child care), and economic supports (such as affordable housing, transportation, financial education and asset-building, tax credits, child care subsidies, student financial aid, health insurance, assistance under the temporary assistance for needy families program under part A of title IV of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 601 et seq.), and food assistance), that encourage, support, and reward work provide a scaffold as parents pursue the skill-building activities and education that lead to better jobs and longer-term financial stability.
Postsecondary education, such as community college associate degrees and credentials, and employment pathways, such as workforce development training and workforce partnerships, can build skills leading to high-demand jobs and opportunities for advancement that increase employment rates and income for parents.
Social capital is a key success factor of the 2-generation approach and builds on the strength and resilience of families, bolstering the aspirations parents have for their children and for themselves. Family poverty is associated with a weaker social network of support. For individuals living in certain regions, the lack of community development contributes to a lack of economic mobility and a lack of multigenerational success.
Physical and mental health have a major impact on the ability of a family to thrive. There is a well-documented correlation between poor health and poor family finances, with poor health causing poor family finances and poor family finances causing poor health. Improved physical health and health behaviors are associated with higher scores on standardized tests. There is a link between mothers providing a higher level of emotional support and positive outcomes in children, such as children demonstrating an improved social competence and engagement in schooling. Meanwhile, social isolation of children is associated with a higher rate of abuse and neglect of children.
More than 30 States have actively mobilized around 2-generation approaches, with more States with plans under consideration to link and align social services, education, and job training to address the needs of 2 generations at the same time and give families the tools they need to succeed.
Purpose— The purpose of this Act is to improve family economic security by breaking the cycle of multigenerational poverty, and to create a cycle of family prosperity, including through developing 2-generation programs that involve initiatives of the Federal Government, States, local governments, and Tribal governments and initiatives of the private sector.
3. Definitions
In this Act:
2-generation approach— The term 2-generation approach means the approach to breaking the cycle of multigenerational poverty by improving family economic security through the implementation of 2-generation programs, with measurable outcomes, that create opportunities for, and address the needs of, parents and children simultaneously.
2-generation program— The term 2-generation program means a pilot program established under section 201(a).
Agency— The term agency has the meaning given such term in section 551 of title 5, United States Code.
Council agency— The term Council agency means an agency listed in any of subparagraphs (A) through (O) of section 101(c)(1).
Discretionary appropriations— The term discretionary appropriations has the meaning given such term in section 250(c) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (2 U.S.C. 900(c)).
Institution of higher education— The term institution of higher education has the meaning given such term in section 101(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001(a)).
Multigenerational poverty— The term multigenerational poverty means pervasive poverty transferred from parents to their children through structural and systematic factors.
School readiness— The term school readiness means the development of—
physical well-being and motor skills;
social and emotional skills;
approaches to learning;
language skills (including early literacy); and
cognition and general knowledge.
State— The term State means each of the several States of the United States, the District of Columbia, and each commonwealth or territory of the United States.
Vulnerable population— The term vulnerable population means a population consisting of individuals who, as determined by the applicable lead agency designated under section 202(a)—
are economically disadvantaged;
are historically underrepresented, such as racial or ethnic minorities;
are low-income children;
are elderly;
are homeless;
are reentering a community after incarceration;
are individuals with a disability, as defined in section 3 of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12102);
are veterans, as defined in section 101 of title 38, United States Code;
are infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV); or
have any other chronic health condition, including a severe mental illness or substance use disorder.