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S 1427 115th Congress Senate Social Welfare Adoption and foster care Child safety and welfare Energy assistance for the poor and aged Executive agency funding and structure Family services Financial literacy Food assistance and relief Housing and community development funding Intergovernmental relations Low- and moderate-income housing Poverty and welfare assistance Rural conditions and development State and local government operations

EMPOWERS Act of 2017

Introduced: June 26, 2017 Introduced by: Ernst, Joni Republican · Iowa See on congress.gov
This bill died when the 115th Congress ended
It never became law before the 115th Congress (2017–2018) 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 2 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Jun 26, 2017
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
Jun 26, 2017
Introduced in Senate
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 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Economic Mobility, Prosperity, and Opportunity with Waivers that Enable Reforms for States Act of 2017 or the EMPOWERS Act of 2017

This bill establishes the Interagency Board for Empowering Low-Income Families and allows a governor to apply to the board for a four-year waiver from certain federal assistance program requirements. Specifically, under such a waiver, the governor's state may consolidate, replace, or alter eligibility requirements for two or more specified federal assistance programs related to nutrition, housing, income, foster care and adoption, and other social and community services. The board must evaluate waiver applications on the basis of whether a proposed project promotes employment, family stability, and financial literacy and savings with respect to program participants. Specified provisions are excluded from waiver authority.

The bill specifies waiver application requirements, deadlines and processes for review of applications, and limitations on project funding.

What's happening now June 26, 2017

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.

 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 1
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). S. 1427: EMPOWERS Act of 2017. 115th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/115-S-1427/
MLA
"S. 1427: EMPOWERS Act of 2017." 115th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/115-S-1427/.
Bluebook (legal)
S. 1427, 115th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/115-S-1427/.
Markdown link
[S. 1427: EMPOWERS Act of 2017](https://openamerica.io/bill/115-S-1427/)
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