Upward Mobility Act of 2026

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.