Upward Mobility Act of 2026
Senate Committee Reviews Upward Mobility Act to Ease Benefit Cliffs for Low-Income Workers
Stalled
No legislative action in over 90 days.
Legislative Progress
Key Points
- Creates a 5-year pilot where up to 5 States can combine several federal aid funding streams into one “Upward Mobility Grant.”
- Lets participating States redesign rules across food help, cash aid, child care, energy help, job training, and housing aid to reduce “benefit cliffs” when people earn more.
- Requires States to apply and get approval from Health and Human Services, with a 30-day public comment period and annual independent evaluations.
- Adds a work requirement tied to existing food assistance rules, plus audits and fraud-prevention steps, for people getting help through the pilot.
- Blocks States from getting bigger grants just because they raise per-person benefit levels, aiming to reward better job outcomes instead of higher payouts.
Impact Analysis
Personal Impact
How this policy affects specific groups of people
State Impacts
Milestones
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
Sent to a congressional committee for expert review. The committee decides whether this bill moves forward.
Introduced in Senate
The bill was officially filed and given a number. It now enters the legislative queue.
Votes
No votes have been recorded for this legislation yet.
Related News
3 articlesHusted introduces benefits legislation that has been successful in Lucas County
U.S. Sen. Jon Husted's Upward Mobility Act would create a five-year pilot program for five states to combine funding from ten federal anti-poverty programs, including SNAP and Section 8, into a single stream to eliminate 'benefits cliffs' that penalize workers for earning more.
Upward Mobility Act would help families
The Upward Mobility Act, introduced by U.S. Sen. Jon Husted, aims to streamline bureaucracy by creating a five-year pilot program allowing states to design and invest in programs that prevent benefits cliffs while providing for the immediate needs of vulnerable populations.
Sen. Husted Introduces Upward Mobility Act of 2026
Senator Jon Husted (R-OH) has introduced the Upward Mobility Act of 2026, legislation establishing a pilot program for up to five states to consolidate federal aid funding streams into 'Upward Mobility Grants' to reduce benefit cliffs and enhance employment opportunities.
Source Information
Document Type
Congressional Bill
Official Title
Upward Mobility Act of 2026
Data Sources
Sponsor
Cosponsors
(2)Analysis generated by AI. Always verify with official sources.