Sponsors (4)
The bill funds and evaluates limited-state pilots that let States combine federal antipoverty dollars and test coordinated reforms with predictable funding and emergency protections, but it also risks reduced benefits for participants, weakened statutory protections, concentrated federal control, and limited geographic scope.
State governments can run integrated "Upward Mobility" pilots that combine funds from SNAP, TANF, LIHEAP, WIOA, CDBG and other covered programs to test coordinated antipoverty strategies for low-income individuals.
States running pilots receive predictable multi-year program grants and proportional administrative funding (multi-year guaranteed payments + admin funding), helping states staff, plan, and sustain experimentation.
Pilot projects must include independent, rigorous evaluations that produce causal evidence on employment, earnings, poverty reduction, and program integrity, benefiting policymakers and participants by improving evidence-based policy.
People enrolled in a State pilot are barred from receiving the same federal antipoverty program benefits outside the pilot during the pilot period, potentially reducing access for some low-income individuals.
States may elect to receive a reduced percentage of covered program amounts (10–100%), which could lower benefit levels for participants if States underfund services relative to prior funding.
The pilot waiver authority could permit changes to statutory or regulatory program requirements, raising risks to program standards, beneficiary protections, and program integrity.
Based on analysis of 3 sections of legislative text.
Creates a new HHS Administration to consolidate certain antipoverty funding streams and transfers administrative functions, personnel, and proportional administrative funding for State pilots.
Official title: To establish a pilot program in which States may use consolidated funds, through Upward Mobility Grants, for antipoverty programs, and for other purposes.
Introduced January 6, 2026 by Blake D. Moore · Last progress January 6, 2026
Creates a framework to consolidate several federal antipoverty funding streams into a new Administration within HHS (operated by the Assistant Secretary for Children and Families) and defines which federal grant and benefit amounts are eligible to be treated as consolidated “covered amounts.” It authorizes the transfer of certain administrative functions, personnel, assets, and proportional administrative funding from existing federal agencies to the new Administration to run State pilots and operate the consolidated program structure. Establishes definitions and administrative rules for how participating States, public housing agencies, and individuals may have SNAP, TANF, child care, LIHEAP, WIOA dislocated worker funds, CDBG, and related program funds treated as covered amounts; directs agency heads and OMB to identify and transfer relevant functions and to move administrative funding proportionally to States operating pilots. The Secretary of HHS is given broad authority to delegate, reorganize, and manage transferred functions and resources for implementation.