Federal RuleAug 21
62
DOL Rewrites Disability Rules for 'Merit-Based Opportunity' Push
RuleLabor DepartmentFederal Contract Compliance Programs OfficeSignificant Wallet
119-hr-1428119th CongressWALLET
Poverty Line Act of 2025
Sponsored By: Representative Mullin, Kevin [D-CA-15]
Introduced
Summary
A regionally adjusted, cost-of-basic-needs federal poverty line. This bill would redefine the poverty line used under the Community Services Block Grant Act by adding housing, child care, health care, and other basic spending and tailoring calculations to state and county cost differences.
Personalized for You
How does this bill affect your finances?
Personalize government policy and PRIA will tell you what this bill means for your household, plus every other piece of legislation we track. PRIA reads each provision against your financial profile to show you exactly what matters to your wallet.
Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
5 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 4 mixed.
Local costs would set poverty line
If enacted, HHS would recalculate the poverty line each year using local prices. It would add county costs for rent (HUD Fair Market Rent), food, clothing, phone, and internet based on a 5‑year average set at 83% of mid‑range spending and adjusted by CPI‑U. A county “other basic goods” factor of at least 1.2 would apply. Child care and health costs (employer, nonemployer, Medicare) would be counted, for up to six people in each group. The line would vary by household size (1–8), with add‑ons for bigger families and scale multipliers, and would differ by state, county, and health rating area.
Poverty line floor and move freeze
If enacted, the poverty line for any state or county could not be set below today’s line after inflation. If you move, the poverty line that applied on your move date would not drop for two years. This would protect eligibility and benefit levels during moves and updates.
States could widen CSBG eligibility
If enacted, a state could choose to use up to 125% of the official poverty line for Community Services Block Grant programs. This could let more low‑income families get services, but only in states that opt in.
Changes would start in three years
If enacted, the new poverty line rules would take effect three years after the bill is signed. Any program rules that use the line would change only after that date.
Lookup tool and flexible data rules
If enacted, HHS would post a website tool to show your household’s poverty line by location and size. HHS could also create simplified calculations for eligibility, as long as they include all key costs. During big economic shifts or data changes, HHS could switch to other data sources to keep the numbers accurate.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Mullin, Kevin [D-CA-15]
CA • D
Cosponsors
Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large]
DC • D
Sponsored 2/18/2025
Rep. Schakowsky, Janice D. [D-IL-9]
IL • D
Sponsored 2/18/2025
Rep. Magaziner, Seth [D-RI-2]
RI • D
Sponsored 2/18/2025
Rep. Tlaib, Rashida [D-MI-12]
MI • D
Sponsored 2/18/2025
Rep. Watson Coleman, Bonnie [D-NJ-12]
NJ • D
Sponsored 2/18/2025
Rep. Gomez, Jimmy [D-CA-34]
CA • D
Sponsored 2/18/2025
Rep. Fitzpatrick, Brian K. [R-PA-1]
PA • R
Sponsored 2/18/2025
Rep. Ramirez, Delia C. [D-IL-3]
IL • D
Sponsored 2/18/2025
Rep. Lee, Summer L. [D-PA-12]
PA • D
Sponsored 2/18/2025
Rep. McBride, Sarah [D-DE-At Large]
DE • D
Sponsored 2/18/2025
Rep. García, Jesús G. "Chuy" [D-IL-4]
IL • D
Sponsored 2/26/2025
Rep. Suozzi, Thomas R. [D-NY-3]
NY • D
Sponsored 3/21/2025
Rep. Jayapal, Pramila [D-WA-7]
WA • D
Sponsored 6/10/2025
Rep. Moulton, Seth [D-MA-6]
MA • D
Sponsored 12/11/2025
Rep. Thanedar, Shri [D-MI-13]
MI • D
Sponsored 4/9/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov