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Title 42 — The Public Health and WelfareRelease 119-73

§616 Administration

Title 42 › Chapter CHAPTER 7— - SOCIAL SECURITY › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER IV— - GRANTS TO STATES FOR AID AND SERVICES TO NEEDY FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN AND FOR CHILD-WELFARE SERVICES › Part Part A— - Block Grants to States for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families › § 616

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Department of Health and Human Services must have an Assistant Secretary for Family Support. The President picks that person and the Senate must approve. This job is in addition to any other Assistant Secretary jobs at HHS. The Secretary must cut HHS staff tied to programs that were turned into block grants under the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996. The cuts must equal 75% of the full-time positions tied to those converted direct-spending or discretionary programs, and 75% of the share of departmental management jobs that matches the money for those converted programs. The Secretary must also, following the rules in title 5 (sections 3502 and 3595), reduce staff by 245 full-time positions for the program changed by section 103 of that Act and by 60 managerial full-time positions.

Full Legal Text

Title 42, §616

The Public Health and Welfare — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

The programs under this part and part D shall be administered by an Assistant Secretary for Family Support within the Department of Health and Human Services, who shall be appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, and who shall be in addition to any other Assistant Secretary of Health and Human Services provided for by law, and the Secretary shall reduce the Federal workforce within the Department of Health and Human Services by an amount equal to the sum of 75 percent of the full-time equivalent positions at such Department that relate to any direct spending program, or any program funded through discretionary spending, that has been converted into a block grant program under the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 and the amendments made by such Act, and by an amount equal to 75 percent of that portion of the total full-time equivalent departmental management positions at such Department that bears the same relationship to the amount appropriated for any direct spending program, or any program funded through discretionary spending, that has been converted into a block grant program under the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 and the amendments made by such Act, as such amount relates to the total amount appropriated for use by such Department, and, notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary shall take such actions as may be necessary, including reductions in force actions, consistent with section 3502 and 3595 of title 5, to reduce the full-time equivalent positions within the Department of Health and Human Services by 245 full-time equivalent positions related to the program converted into a block grant under the amendments made by section 103 of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996, and by 60 full-time equivalent managerial positions in the Department.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996, referred to in text, is Pub. L. 104–193, Aug. 22, 1996, 110 Stat. 2105. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see

Short Title

of 1996 Amendment note set out under section 1305 of this title and Tables. section 103 of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996, referred to in text, is section 103 of Pub. L. 104–193, which enacted this part, amended section 602, 603, and 1308 of this title, and repealed provisions formerly set out as this part. For complete classification of section 103 to the Code, see Tables.

Prior Provisions

A prior section 616, act Aug. 14, 1935, ch. 531, title IV, § 416, as added Dec. 22, 1987, Pub. L. 100–203, title IX, § 9102(a), 101 Stat. 1330–299, related to fraud control, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 104–193, § 103(a)(1), as amended by Pub. L. 105–33, title V, § 5514(c), Aug. 5, 1997, 111 Stat. 620.

Amendments

1999—Pub. L. 106–169 substituted “Opportunity Reconciliation Act” for “Opportunity Act” the first two places appearing. 1997—Pub. L. 105–33, § 5514(c), made technical amendment to directory language of Pub. L. 104–193, § 103(a)(1), which enacted this section. Pub. L. 105–33, § 5514(d), substituted “

Amendments

made by section 103 of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation” for “amendment made by section 2103 of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 1999 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 106–169 effective as if included in the enactment of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996, Pub. L. 104–193, see section 401(q) of Pub. L. 106–169, set out as a note under section 602 of this title.

Effective Date

of 1997 AmendmentAmendment by section 5514(c) of Pub. L. 105–33 effective as if included in the provision of Pub. L. 104–193 amended at the time the provision became law, see section 5518(d) of Pub. L. 105–33, set out as a note under section 862a of Title 21, Food and Drugs. Amendment by section 5514(d) of Pub. L. 105–33 effective as if included in section 103(a) of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996, Pub. L. 104–193, at the time such section 103(a) became law, see section 5518(a) of Pub. L. 105–33, set out as a note under section 602 of this title.

Effective Date

Section effective July 1, 1997, with transition rules relating to State options to accelerate such date, rules relating to claims, actions, and proceedings commenced before such date, rules relating to closing out of accounts for terminated or substantially modified programs and continuance in office of Assistant Secretary for Family Support, and provisions relating to termination of entitlement under AFDC program, see section 116 of Pub. L. 104–193, as amended, set out as a note under section 601 of this title.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

42 U.S.C. § 616

Title 42 — The Public Health and Welfare

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73