S. 1660: Grandfamilies Act of 2019

116th Congress · introduced 2019-05-23 · Families · Latest: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2019-05-23 · official record
Who proposed it: Sen. Casey, Robert P., Jr. [D-PA] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Grandfamilies Act of 2019

Plain summary

Grandfamilies Act of 2019 This bill expands access to specified programs for children living with grandparents or other family members who are not their legal guardian. Specifically, the bill provides that a child of a relative eligible for Old-Age and Survivors Insurance benefits is eligible for such benefit payments if that child (1) began living with such relative before age 18, (2) receives at least 50% of their support from such relative, and (3) has lived with such relative pursuant to a court order for at least 12 months. Additionally, the bill revises the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) eligibility requirements for children living with specified caretaker relatives. First, the bill lessens the requirement for TANF applicants to assign their rights to child support when such assignment may impact the likelihood of reunifying the child with their noncustodial parent, such as where the noncustodial parent is working to gain financial stability so they may reunify with their child. Further, when a child, but not the caretaker relative, receives TANF benefits (i.e., child-only cases), or if the caretaker relative is 55 or older, the bill (1) excludes such caretaker’s income from that child’s eligibility determination, (2) removes the 5-year cap on assistance, and (3) exempts such caretaker relatives from TANF work requirements. The bill also (1) encourages states to enact temporary guardianship laws, (2) establishes the National Technical Assistance Center on Grandfamilies, and (3) provides grants supporting caretaker relatives.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

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What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Grandfamilies Act of 2019

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)

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The strongest published arguments

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Casey, Robert P., Jr. [D-PA] · 7 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Margaret Wood Hassan (D-NH), Kirsten E. Gillibrand (D-NY), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Angus S. King, Jr. (I-ME), Cory A. Booker (D-NJ)

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (1)

Bill: A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-116s1660.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/116/s>

Record fed-us-cong116-s1660 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong116 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong116