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HR 692 108th Congress House Social Welfare Administrative procedure Administrative remedies Agriculture and Food Aid to dependent children Alcoholism Aliens Asian American ethnic groups Blacks Block grants Business cycles Caregivers Case management Cash welfare block grants Child support Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues Collection of accounts Compensatory education Congress Congressional reporting requirements

Racial Equity and Fair Treatment Act of 2003

Introduced: February 11, 2003 See on congress.gov
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This bill died when the 108th Congress ended
It never became law before the 108th Congress (2003–2004) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 3 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Mar 3, 2003
Referred to the Subcommittee on Human Resources.
Feb 11, 2003
Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
Feb 11, 2003
Introduced in House
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 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service
Racial Equity and Fair Treatment Act of 2003 - Authorizes the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award grants to States and county applicants to pay the Federal share of the costs of improving the administration of support programs for low-income families with children.

Amends part A (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) (TANF) of title IV of the Social Security Act to revise requirements for assessments and work activities for TANF recipients.

Requires: (1) interpretation and translation services in certain cases for TANF recipients; (2) an expedited process for discrimination complaints; (3) provision of notice of rights of TANF recipients; (3) training of TANF program personnel in respecting such rights; (4) standardized sanction process; and (5) opportunity for TANF applicants or recipients to appeal adverse decisions.

Modifies penalties against individuals for violating mandatory work requirements, creating additional exceptions, including those for child care and discrimination.

Prohibits States from diverting potential TANF applicants.

Bans States from penalizing the entire family for the misconduct of one family member.

Amends the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 to repeal provisions for denial of assistance and benefits for certain drug-related convictions.

Makes various changes under the TANF program concerning: (1) the five-year time limit on assistance; and (2) treatment of aliens.

Permits participation in English-as-a-second language programs as a work activity.

Prescribes requirements encouraging racial equality.

What's happening now March 3, 2003

Referred to the Subcommittee on Human Resources.

 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 2
 Cosponsors 4
All 4 Democratic 4
D
Baldwin, Tammy
Wisconsin · Feb 11, 2003
 D
Clyburn, James E.
South Carolina · Feb 11, 2003
 D
Norton, Eleanor Holmes
District of Columbia · Feb 11, 2003
 D
Schakowsky, Janice D.
Illinois · Feb 11, 2003
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 692: Racial Equity and Fair Treatment Act of 2003. 108th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/108-HR-692/
MLA
"H.R. 692: Racial Equity and Fair Treatment Act of 2003." 108th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/108-HR-692/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 692, 108th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/108-HR-692/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 692: Racial Equity and Fair Treatment Act of 2003](https://openamerica.io/bill/108-HR-692/)
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