# 119-hr-9994: Family Poverty is Not Child Neglect Act

119-hr-9994, Family Poverty is Not Child Neglect Act, is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Rep. Moore, Gwen [D-WI-4] (D-WI); status introduced (as of 2026-08-09).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-9994
- As of: 2026-08-09
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 119-hr-9994
- Congress: 119
- Title: Family Poverty is Not Child Neglect Act
- Status: introduced
- Introduced: 2026-07-30
- Sponsor: Rep. Moore, Gwen [D-WI-4] (D-WI)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Policy area: Families
- Touches household money: no
- Last recorded action: 2026-08-09

## Summary

**Prohibit separating children from parents solely for poverty.** This bill would bar removing a child from a parent or guardian just because the family is poor and would require states to build or improve supports to keep families safely together. - Families: Parents and children in poverty would be protected from removal based only on financial need. States would need to offer supports such as help with housing instability or unemployment to reduce the risk of separation. - States: State child welfare plans would have a new assurance under Section 422(b) that no child is separated solely for poverty and that the state will develop or improve services and benefits to keep families together. - Federal oversight and data: The Secretary of Health and Human Services would submit a report within two years to the House Ways and Means Committee and the Senate Finance Committee. The report must assess how poverty affects investigations, allegations, removals, placements, and custody actions and include recommendations for better data and laws to prevent poverty-related separation.

## Provisions PRIA read

- More help to keep families together: benefit, high. If enacted, this bill would bar states from removing a child from a parent or guardian solely because the family is poor. It would require States to add assurances in their Title IV-B child welfare plans that no child is separated for poverty and that the State will develop or improve services to k…

## Related bills

- 119-hr-9877: Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2026
- 119-hr-6900: American Affordability Act of 2025
- 119-hr-7973: Momnibus Act
- 119-hr-2038: American Housing and Economic Mobility Act of 2025
- 119-hr-6976: Duty Status Reform Act
- 119-hr-3971: Domestic Workers Bill of Rights Act

## Sources
- [119-hr-9994 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/9994)

## Related
- [119-hr-9877: Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-9877)
- [119-hr-6900: American Affordability Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-6900)
- [119-hr-7973: Momnibus Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-7973)
- [119-hr-2038: American Housing and Economic Mobility Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-2038)
- [119-hr-6976: Duty Status Reform Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-6976)
- [119-hr-3971: Domestic Workers Bill of Rights Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-3971)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-9994 (as of 2026-08-09).