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H.R. 1428: Poverty Line Act of 2025

119th Congress · introduced 2025-02-18 · Social Welfare · Latest: Referred to the Committee on Education and Workforce, and in addition to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

federal

What does this mean?

Official title

Poverty Line Act of 2025

Plain summary

Poverty Line Act of 2025 This bill revises the methodology used to calculate the federal poverty guidelines. The federal poverty guidelines are used to determine eligibility for many federal and state public assistance programs, including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and the National School Lunch Program. The poverty guidelines are currently calculated by adjusting the Census Bureau’s poverty thresholds to account for changes in the Consumer Price Index. The bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to calculate regional poverty guidelines based on a combination of factors including average household expenditures on food, clothing, utilities, and transportation; the average cost of rental housing; and the average cost of health insurance. These factors must be calculated using regional data as applicable. HHS must make available to the public a tool for determining the poverty guideline applicable to a given household. The new regional poverty guidelines established by HHS may not be lower than existing, corresponding poverty guidelines as of the date of enactment of the bill. HHS must review and evaluate the poverty guidelines at least every four years and propose changes to this methodology as appropriate. The bill takes effect three years after its enactment.

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

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What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Poverty Line Act of 2025

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

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Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Mullin, Kevin [D-CA-15] · 15 cosponsors

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Words on this page, explained (2)
Appropriation
Money a legislature sets aside by law for a specific purpose. Government agencies may spend public money only as it has been appropriated.
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

Record fed-us-cong119-hr1428 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong119 · updated 2026-11-03 by psicol fed-bills