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Preventing Waste, Fraud, and Abuse in TANF Act
H. R. 8872 To amend part A of title IV of the Social Security Act to target funds to low-income families, strengthen program integrity guardrails for State expenditure of funds, require measurement of improper payments, and establish goals for eliminating fraud and improper payments under the program of block grants to States for temporary assistance for needy families, and for other purposes.
Summary
This bill adds requirements to the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program to reduce fraud, waste, and improper payments. It requires states to target TANF assistance to families with income below twice the federal poverty guideline and restricts states' ability to reserve funds, requiring most money to be spent within two years. The bill applies federal payment integrity requirements to state TANF programs and mandates that states use federal funds to supplement rather than replace state spending. States must certify that federal TANF funds will not be used to supplant state or local funding, and the federal government must develop a plan to reduce improper payments within ten years. These changes take effect October 1, 2027.
AI-generated plain-language summary of the bill text — neutral, and may be imperfect. See the full text below for the exact wording.
Sponsor (1)
- Rep. Carey, Mike [R-OH-15] (R-OH)
8 cosponsors
Actions (13)
- Jun 3, 2026 POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS - Pursuant to clause 1(c) of rule XIX, the Chair announced further proceedings on H.R. 8872 is postponed. · house
- Jun 3, 2026 The previous question was ordered pursuant to the rule. · house
- Jun 3, 2026 DEBATE - The House proceeded with one hour of debate on H.R. 8872. · house
- Jun 3, 2026 Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 8646, H.R. 7726, H.R. 7892 and H.R. 8872. The resolution provides for consideration of H.R. 8646 under a structured rule and H.R. 7726, H.R. 7892, and H.R. 8872 under a closed rule, with one hour of general debate on each bill. The resolution provides for one motion to recommit on each bill. · house
- Jun 3, 2026 Considered under the provisions of rule H. Res. 1333. (consideration: CR H3805-3810; text of amendment in the nature of a substitute: CR H3805-3806) · house
- Jun 3, 2026 Rule H. Res. 1333 passed House. · house
- Jun 3, 2026 Rules Committee Resolution H. Res. 1333 Reported to House. Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 8646, H.R. 7726, H.R. 7892 and H.R. 8872. The resolution provides for consideration of H.R. 8646 under a structured rule and H.R. 7726, H.R. 7892, and H.R. 8872 under a closed rule, with one hour of general debate on each bill. The resolution provides for one motion to recommit on each bill. · house
- May 29, 2026 Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 584. · house
- May 29, 2026 Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Ways and Means. H. Rept. 119-670. · house
- May 21, 2026 Ordered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute by the Yeas and Nays: 23 - 19. · house
- May 21, 2026 Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held · house
- May 19, 2026 Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means. · house
- May 19, 2026 Introduced in House
More bills on these subjects (8)
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Similar bills (6)
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Committee action
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Meetings where this bill was on the agenda
Full text
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
May 19, 2026
Mr. Carey (for himself, Mr. Arrington, Mr. Bean of Florida, Mr. Miller of Ohio, Mr. Smith of Nebraska, and Ms. Tenney) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means
May 29, 2026
Additional sponsors: Mr. Moore of Utah, Mrs. Miller of West Virginia, and Mr. Feenstra
May 29, 2026
Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed [Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic] [For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on May 19, 2026]
A BILL
To amend part A of title IV of the Social Security Act to target funds to low-income families, strengthen program integrity guardrails for State expenditure of funds, require measurement of improper payments, and establish goals for eliminating fraud and improper payments under the program of block grants to States for temporary assistance for needy families, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the “Preventing Waste, Fraud, and Abuse in TANF Act”.
SEC. 2. STRENGTHENING PROGRAM INTEGRITY THROUGH IMPROPER PAYMENTS REVIEW.
(a) In General.—Section 404 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C.
604) is amended by adding at the end the following:
“(l) Applicability of Payment Integrity Law.—The Payment Integrity Information Act of 2019 shall apply to a State with respect to the State program funded under this part in the same manner in which such Act applies to a Federal agency.”.
(b) Report to Congress.—Within 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall submit to the Congress a written report that contains a plan to reduce or eliminate improper payments made by States under part A of title IV of the Social Security Act within 10 years.
SEC. 3. TARGETING FUNDS TO FAMILIES IN NEED.
Section 404 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 604) is further amended by adding at the end the following:
“(m) Establishing a Threshold for Families in Need.—A State to which a grant is made under section 403(a)(1) shall use the grant only to provide assistance or services to a family whose income is less than twice the poverty guidelines updated periodically in the Federal Register under section 673(2) of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1981 (42 U.S.C. 9902(2)).”.
SEC. 4. DEADLINES FOR THE OBLIGATION AND EXPENDITURE OF FUNDS.
Section 404(e) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 604(e)) is amended to read as follows:
“(e) Deadlines for Obligation and Expenditure of Funds by States.—
“(1) In general.—Except as provided in paragraph (2), a State to which funds are paid, after the effective date of this subsection, under section 403(a)(1) for a fiscal year shall obligate the funds not later than the end of the succeeding fiscal year, and shall expend the funds not later than the end of the 2nd succeeding fiscal year.
“(2) Exception for limited amount of funds set aside for future use.—
“(A) In general.—Notwithstanding paragraph (1) of this subsection, a State to which funds are paid under section 403(a)(1), after the effective date of this subsection, for a fiscal year may reserve not more than 15 percent of the funds for future use in the State program funded under this part, subject to subparagraph
(B) of this paragraph.
“(B) Limitation.—The total amount held in reserve by a State under subparagraph (A) of this paragraph shall not exceed an amount equal to 50 percent of the total amount paid to the State under section 403(a)(1) for the then preceding fiscal year.
“(C) Notice of intent to reserve funds.—A State that intends to reserve funds under subparagraph (A) shall notify the Secretary of the intention not later than the end of the period in which the funds are available for obligation without regard to subparagraph
(A) of this paragraph.”.
SEC. 5. PROHIBITION ON STATE DIVERSION OF FEDERAL FUNDS TO REPLACE STATE SPENDING.
(a) In General.—Section 404 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C.
604) is further amended by adding at the end the following:
“(n) Limitation on Use of Federal Funds to Replace State General Revenue Funds.—A State shall use Federal funds received under this part only to supplement funds that, in the absence of the Federal funds, would be made available from State and local sources for programs assisted under this part, and not to supplant the funds.”.
(b) State Certification.—Section 402(a) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 602(a)) is amended by adding at the end the following:
“(9) Certification of state supplementation.—A certification by the chief executive officer of the State that the funds provided to the State under this part will not be used to supplant State or non-Federal funds for services and activities that promote the purposes of this part.”.
SEC. 6. EFFECTIVE DATE.
The amendments made by this Act shall take effect on October 1, 2027. Union Calendar No. 584
119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 8872
[Report No. 119-670]
A BILL
To amend part A of title IV of the Social Security Act to target funds to low-income families, strengthen program integrity guardrails for State expenditure of funds, require measurement of improper payments, and establish goals for eliminating fraud and improper payments under the program of block grants to States for temporary assistance for needy families, and for other purposes.
May 29, 2026
Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed
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