1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the “Targeting Resources to Communities in Need Act of 2022”.
Targeting Resources to Communities in Need Act of 2022
A BILL
To provide an increased allocation of funding under certain programs for assistance in areas of persistent poverty, and for other purposes.
2. Definitions
In this Act:
Appropriate committees of Congress— The term appropriate committees of Congress means—
the Committee on Appropriations, the Committee on the Budget, the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, and the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate;
the Committee on Appropriations, the Committee on the Budget, the Committee on Energy and Commerce, the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and the Committee on Oversight and Reform of the House of Representatives; and
any other committee of Congress that has jurisdiction over a department or agency with a role developing or implementing measures under section 4(a).
Area of persistent poverty— The term area of persistent poverty means an area that is a high-poverty census tract or a persistent poverty county.
Director— The term Director means the Director of the Office of Management and Budget.
High-poverty census tract— The term high-poverty census tract means a census tract that has a poverty rate of not less than 20 percent in the most recent American Community Survey 5-year survey by the Bureau of the Census.
Persistent poverty county— The term persistent poverty county means—
a county, parish, or other equivalent county division (as determined by the Bureau of the Census) with a poverty rate of not less than 20 percent in the Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates by the Bureau of the Census for 1997, 2007, 2017, and the most recent year for which the estimates are available; or
any territory or possession of the United States.
3. Publication of list of areas of persistent poverty
4. Increasing share of Federal resources to areas of persistent poverty and other high-poverty areas
Guidance and measures To increase Federal investments— Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Director, in consultation with Federal agencies, shall develop and implement guidance and measures to increase the share of Federal investments targeted to areas of persistent poverty and other areas with high and persistent poverty (including any other areas that the Director, in consultation with Federal agencies, determines to be appropriate areas to target).
Guidance for agencies— Not later than 120 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Director shall issue guidance to agencies regarding—
identifying the scope of programs subject to increased targeted investment described in subsection (a);
identifying the manner and share of targeted investment described in subsection (a); and
outlining measures to track increased investment in areas of persistent poverty and other areas with high and persistent poverty over time.
Minimum investment amount— In developing the guidance and measures under subsection (a), the Director shall include a minimum goal that Federal investments targeted to areas of persistent poverty or other areas with high and persistent poverty be in an amount that is greater than the amount that is proportional to the population of such areas in the United States relative to the population of the United States as a whole.
Reports to Congress— The Director shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress an annual report that includes—
a list of the programs, by agency, that are included in the effort to increase the share of Federal investments targeted to areas of persistent poverty and other areas with high and persistent poverty; and
for each program listed under paragraph (1)—
the amount of funds that were directed under the program toward an area of persistent poverty or other area with high and persistent poverty during the previous fiscal year;
the percentage change from the fiscal year before the previous fiscal year in the amount of funds that were directed under the program toward an area of persistent poverty or other area with high and persistent poverty; and
to the extent practicable, an assessment of the economic impact of the program, including data on impacted individuals, disaggregated by household income, race, gender, age, national origin, disability status, and whether the individuals live in an urban area, suburban area, or rural area.
5. GAO reports
Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, the Comptroller General of the United States shall report to the appropriate committees of Congress on the effectiveness of the measures implemented pursuant to section 4(a), including an assessment regarding the impact of the measures on increasing Federal funds spent in areas of persistent poverty and other areas with high and persistent poverty.
6. Authorization of appropriations
There is authorized to be appropriated for fiscal year 2022, $5,000,000 for salaries and expenses (including for entering contracts with non-Federal persons) to carry out this Act.