---
kind: "section"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 9904"
title: "42"
title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare"
number: "9904"
heading: "Establishment of block grant program"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/9904"
units:
  - "Chapter 106 — Community Services Block Grant Program"
---

# §9904. Establishment of block grant program


The [Secretary](/usc/42/9902.md?p=4) is authorized to establish a community services block grant program and make grants through the program to [States](/usc/42/9902.md?p=5) to ameliorate the causes of poverty in communities within the [States](/usc/42/9902.md?p=5).


## Source credit

(Pub. L. 97–35, title VI, § 675, as added Pub. L. 105–285, title II, § 201, Oct. 27, 1998, 112 Stat. 2730.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Prior Provisions

A prior section 9904, Pub. L. 97–35, title VI, § 675, Aug. 13, 1981, 95 Stat. 513; Pub. L. 97–115, § 17(a)(2), (b), Dec. 29, 1981, 95 Stat. 1609; Pub. L. 98–558, title II, § 203(a)–(c), Oct. 30, 1984, 98 Stat. 2885; Pub. L. 99–425, title IV, §§ 403(a)(1), (b), 404(b), Sept. 30, 1986, 100 Stat. 968, 969; Pub. L. 101–501, title IV, § 404(a), (b), Nov. 3, 1990, 104 Stat. 1252; Pub. L. 101–624, title XVII, § 1772(h)(6), Nov. 28, 1990, 104 Stat. 3809; Pub. L. 103–94, § 6, Oct. 6, 1993, 107 Stat. 1005; Pub. L. 103–252, title II, § 202(c)–(g), May 18, 1994, 108 Stat. 652–654, related to applications and requirements for community block grant program, prior to the general amendment of this chapter by Pub. L. 105–285.