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HR 240 109th Congress House

Personal Responsibility, Work, and Family Promotion Act of 2005

Official title: To reauthorize and improve the program of block grants to States for temporary assistance for needy families, improve access to quality child care, and for other purposes.

Introduced: January 4, 2005 See on congress.gov
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This bill died when the 109th Congress ended
It never became law before the 109th Congress (2005–2006) 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 10 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Oct 20, 2005
Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 23 - 20.
Oct 20, 2005
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
Mar 15, 2005
Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 7 - 4.
Mar 15, 2005
Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
Feb 17, 2005
Referred to the Subcommittee on Department Operations, Oversight, Nutrition and Forestry.
Feb 9, 2005
Referred to the Subcommittee on 21st Century Competitiveness.
Feb 4, 2005
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Chairman.
Jan 25, 2005
Referred to the Subcommittee on Human Resources.
Jan 4, 2005
Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committees on Energy and Commerce, Education and the Workforce, Agriculture, and Financial Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Jan 4, 2005
Introduced in House
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 Latest action October 20, 2005

Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 23 - 20.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Personal Responsibility, Work, and Family Promotion Act of 2005 - Amends title IV (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) (TANF) of the Social Security Act (SSA) to reauthorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services (Secretary) to award state family assistance grants.

Authorizes States to use grants for marriage promotion activities and requires the Secretary to make bonus grants to each State that has achieved formulated employment goals.

Revises requirements for: (1) the consideration of certain child care expenditures in determining State compliance with contingency fund requirements; (2) State work participation standards, incorporating a 40-hour work week standard, and creating a State superachiever participation rate credit; and (3) the use of TANF grants.

Replaces personal responsibility plans with family self-sufficiency plans.

Authorizes the Secretary to establish TANF performance goals and plans. Makes appropriations for research, demonstrations, and technical assistance.

Promotion and Support of Responsible Fatherhood and Healthy Marriage Act of 2005 - Amends the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 to authorize the Secretary to make grants to public and nonprofit community entities for demonstration projects to test the effectiveness of various approaches to create a Fatherhood Program.

Permits States the option to make TANF programs mandatory partners with one-stop employment training centers.

Caring for Children Act of 2005 - Amends the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990 to specify consumer education information States are required to collect and disseminate.

Amends the Internal Revenue Code with respect to income tax benefits.

Reauthorizes funding for State child care entitlement programs and revises State requirements for child support payments.

Amends: (1) SSA title XI (General Provisions) to eliminate specified limitations on the Secretary's authority to approve demonstration projects and grant waivers; and (2) SSA title XVI (Supplemental Security Income) (SSI) to require the Commissioner of Social Security to review State agency blindness and disability determinations.

Authorizes the administering Secretary to authorize innovative State demonstration projects involving individual programs, or integrating multiple public assistance, employment security, and other programs to support working families.

Amends the Food Stamp Act of 1977 to require the Secretary to establish a program to make grants to States to provide food assistance and funds to operate employment and training programs for needy individuals.

Extends abstinence education funding and reauthorizes transitional medical assistance.

 Related & companion bills 1
 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 9
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APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 240: Personal Responsibility, Work, and Family Promotion Act of 2005. 109th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/109-HR-240/
MLA
"H.R. 240: Personal Responsibility, Work, and Family Promotion Act of 2005." 109th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/109-HR-240/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 240, 109th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/109-HR-240/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 240: Personal Responsibility, Work, and Family Promotion Act of 2005](https://openamerica.io/bill/109-HR-240/)
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