Under the leadership of U.S. Reps. Andy Barr (R-KY) and Todd Young (R-IN), the Republican Study Committee recently released its recommendations for an anti-poverty plan that would modernize social safety programs.
The plan, titled “Strengthening Our Safety Net to Empower People,” also includes recommendations to empower individuals through employment requirements.
The anti-poverty plan, which draws from member-driven proposals and existing legislation, has been forwarded to House Speaker Paul Ryan’s (R-WI) Poverty, Opportunity and Upward Mobility Task Force.
The report recommends eliminating current marriage penalties that reduce net benefits married couples receive through social safety programs. The move is intended to help combat poverty through strong family systems.
Implementing work requirements for social safety program enrollees is another recommendation highlighted.
“Able-bodied adults without dependents should demonstrate they are working or preparing to work through job training programs or volunteer work to receive benefits,” the report states.
The report also identifies needed reforms to the earned income tax credit (EITC) to modernize social safety programs. Benefits should be moved from an annual tax credit to a benefit that is paid through paychecks issued throughout the year to combat fraud, according to the report.
Streamlining federal housing assistance is also identified as a priority in the report. The federal government spends $50 billion per year on housing assistance, and making benefits more portable to link housing assistance to other programs and enhance competition for public housing contracts would be a benefit, according to the report.