Reducing Poverty in America by Promoting Opportunity and Economic Mobility

[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 72 (Friday, April 13, 2018)]

[Presidential Documents]

[Pages 15941-15944]

From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

[FR Doc No: 2018-07874]

Presidential Documents

Federal Register / Vol. 83 , No. 72 / Friday, April 13, 2018 /

Presidential Documents

[[Page 15941]]

Executive Order 13828 of April 10, 2018

Reducing Poverty in America by Promoting

Opportunity and Economic Mobility

By the authority vested in me as President by the

Constitution and the laws of the United States of

America, and to promote economic mobility, strong

social networks, and accountability to American

taxpayers, it is hereby ordered as follows:

Section 1. Purpose. The United States and its

Constitution were founded on the principles of freedom

and equal opportunity for all. To ensure that all

Americans would be able to realize the benefits of

those principles, especially during hard times, the

Government established programs to help families with

basic unmet needs. Unfortunately, many of the programs

designed to help families have instead delayed economic

independence, perpetuated poverty, and weakened family

bonds. While bipartisan welfare reform enacted in 1996

was a step toward eliminating the economic stagnation

and social harm that can result from long-term

Government dependence, the welfare system still traps

many recipients, especially children, in poverty and is

in need of further reform and modernization in order to

increase self-sufficiency, well-being, and economic

mobility.

the economic stagnation

and social harm that can result from long-term

Government dependence, the welfare system still traps

many recipients, especially children, in poverty and is

in need of further reform and modernization in order to

increase self-sufficiency, well-being, and economic

mobility.

Sec. 2. Policy. (a) In 2017, the Federal Government

spent more than $700 billion on low-income assistance.

Since its inception, the welfare system has grown into

a large bureaucracy that might be susceptible to

measuring success by how many people are enrolled in a

program rather than by how many have moved from poverty

into financial independence. This is not the type of

system that was envisioned when welfare programs were

instituted in this country. The Federal Government's

role is to clear paths to self-sufficiency, reserving

public assistance programs for those who are truly in

need. The Federal Government should do everything

within its authority to empower individuals by

providing opportunities for work, including by

investing in Federal programs that are effective at

moving people into the workforce and out of poverty. It

must examine Federal policies and programs to ensure

that they are consistent with principles that are

central to the American spirit--work, free enterprise,

and safeguarding human and economic resources. For

those policies or programs that are not succeeding in

those respects, it is our duty to either improve or

eliminate them.

d programs to ensure

that they are consistent with principles that are

central to the American spirit--work, free enterprise,

and safeguarding human and economic resources. For

those policies or programs that are not succeeding in

those respects, it is our duty to either improve or

eliminate them.

(b) It shall be the policy of the Federal

Government to reform the welfare system of the United

States so that it empowers people in a manner that is

consistent with applicable law and the following

principles, which shall be known as the Principles of

Economic Mobility:

(i) Improve employment outcomes and economic independence (including by

strengthening existing work requirements for work-capable people and

introducing new work requirements when legally permissible);

(ii) Promote strong social networks as a way of sustainably escaping

poverty (including through work and marriage);

(iii) Address the challenges of populations that may particularly struggle

to find and maintain employment (including single parents, formerly

incarcerated individuals, the homeless, substance abusers, individuals with

disabilities, and disconnected youth);

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(iv) Balance flexibility and accountability both to ensure that State,

local, and tribal governments, and other institutions, may tailor their

public assistance programs to the unique needs of their communities and to

ensure that welfare services and administering agencies can be held

accountable for achieving outcomes (including by designing and tracking

measures that assess whether programs help people escape poverty);

accountability both to ensure that State,

local, and tribal governments, and other institutions, may tailor their

public assistance programs to the unique needs of their communities and to

ensure that welfare services and administering agencies can be held

accountable for achieving outcomes (including by designing and tracking

measures that assess whether programs help people escape poverty);

(v) Reduce the size of bureaucracy and streamline services to promote the

effective use of resources;

(vi) Reserve benefits for people with low incomes and limited assets;

(vii) Reduce wasteful spending by consolidating or eliminating Federal

programs that are duplicative or ineffective;

(viii) Create a system by which the Federal Government remains updated on

State, local, and tribal successes and failures, and facilitates access to

that information so that other States and localities can benefit from it;

and

(ix) Empower the private sector, as well as local communities, to develop

and apply locally based solutions to poverty.

(c) As part of our pledge to increase opportunities

for those in need, the Federal Government must first

enforce work requirements that are required by law. It

must also strengthen requirements that promote

obtaining and maintaining employment in order to move

people to independence. To support this focus on

employment, the Federal Government should:

for those in need, the Federal Government must first

enforce work requirements that are required by law. It

must also strengthen requirements that promote

obtaining and maintaining employment in order to move

people to independence. To support this focus on

employment, the Federal Government should:

(i) review current federally funded workforce development programs. If more

than one executive department or agency (agency) administers programs that

are similar in scope or population served, they should be consolidated, to

the extent permitted by law, into the agency that is best equipped to

fulfill the expectations of the programs, while ineffective programs should

be eliminated; and

(ii) invest in effective workforce development programs and encourage, to

the greatest extent possible, entities that have demonstrated success in

equipping participants with skills necessary to obtain employment that

enables them to financially support themselves and their families in

today's economy.

(d) It is imperative to empower State, local, and

tribal governments and private-sector entities to

effectively administer and manage public assistance

programs. Federal policies should allow local entities

to develop and implement programs and strategies that

are best for their respective communities.

Specifically, policies should allow the private sector,

including community and faith-based organizations, to

create solutions that alleviate the need for welfare

assistance, promote personal responsibility, and reduce

reliance on government intervention and resources.

are best for their respective communities.

Specifically, policies should allow the private sector,

including community and faith-based organizations, to

create solutions that alleviate the need for welfare

assistance, promote personal responsibility, and reduce

reliance on government intervention and resources.

(i) To promote the proper scope and functioning of government, the Federal

Government must afford State, local, and tribal governments the freedom to

design and implement programs that better allocate limited resources to

meet different community needs.

(ii) States and localities can use such flexibility to devise and evaluate

innovative programs that serve diverse populations and families. States and

localities can also model their own initiatives on the successful programs

of others. To achieve the right balance, Federal leaders must continue to

discuss opportunities to improve public assistance programs with State and

local leaders, including our Nation's governors.

(e) The Federal Government owes it to Americans to

use taxpayer dollars for their intended purposes.

Relevant agencies should establish clear metrics that

measure outcomes so that agencies administering public

assistance programs can be held accountable. These

metrics should include assessments of whether programs

help individuals and families find employment, increase

earnings, escape poverty, and avoid long-term

dependence. Whenever possible, agencies should

harmonize their metrics to facilitate easier cross-

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nce programs can be held accountable. These

metrics should include assessments of whether programs

help individuals and families find employment, increase

earnings, escape poverty, and avoid long-term

dependence. Whenever possible, agencies should

harmonize their metrics to facilitate easier cross-

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programmatic comparisons and to encourage further

integration of service delivery at the local level.

Agencies should also adopt policies to ensure that only

eligible persons receive benefits and enforce all

relevant laws providing that aliens who are not

otherwise qualified and eligible may not receive

benefits.

(i) All entities that receive funds should be required to guarantee the

integrity of the programs they administer. Technology and innovation should

drive initiatives that increase program integrity and reduce fraud, waste,

and abuse in the current system.

(ii) The Federal Government must support State, local, and tribal partners

by investing in tools to combat payment errors and verify eligibility for

program participants. It must also work alongside public and private

partners to assist recipients of welfare assistance to maximize access to

services and benefits that support paths to self-sufficiency.

Sec. 3. Review of Regulations and Guidance Documents.

(a) The Secretaries of the Treasury, Agriculture,

Commerce, Labor, Health and Human Services, Housing and

Urban Development, Transportation, and Education

(Secretaries) shall:

to maximize access to

services and benefits that support paths to self-sufficiency.

Sec. 3. Review of Regulations and Guidance Documents.

(a) The Secretaries of the Treasury, Agriculture,

Commerce, Labor, Health and Human Services, Housing and

Urban Development, Transportation, and Education

(Secretaries) shall:

(i) review all regulations and guidance documents of their respective

agencies relating to waivers, exemptions, or exceptions for public

assistance program eligibility requirements to determine whether such

documents are, to the extent permitted by law, consistent with the

principles outlined in this order;

(ii) review any public assistance programs of their respective agencies

that do not currently require work for receipt of benefits or services, and

determine whether enforcement of a work requirement would be consistent

with Federal law and the principles outlined in this order;

(iii) review any public assistance programs of their respective agencies

that do currently require work for receipt of benefits or services, and

determine whether the enforcement of such work requirements is consistent

with Federal law and the principles outlined in this order;

(iv) within 90 days of the date of this order, and based on the reviews

required by this section, submit to the Director of the Office of

Management and Budget and the Assistant to the President for Domestic

Policy a list of recommended regulatory and policy changes and other

actions to accomplish the principles outlined in this order; and

(v) not later than 90 days after submission of the recommendations required

by section 3(a)(iv) of this order, and in consultation with the Director of

the Office of Management and Budget and the Assistant to the President for

Domestic Policy, take steps to implement the recommended administrative

actions.

icy changes and other

actions to accomplish the principles outlined in this order; and

(v) not later than 90 days after submission of the recommendations required

by section 3(a)(iv) of this order, and in consultation with the Director of

the Office of Management and Budget and the Assistant to the President for

Domestic Policy, take steps to implement the recommended administrative

actions.

(b) Within 90 days of the date of this order, the

Secretaries shall each submit a report to the

President, through the Director of the Office of

Management and Budget and the Assistant to the

President for Domestic Policy, that:

(i) states how their respective agencies are complying with 8 U.S.C.

1611(a), which provides that an alien who is not a ``qualified alien'' as

defined by 8 U.S.C. 1641 is, subject to certain statutorily defined

exceptions, not eligible for any Federal public benefit as defined by 8

U.S.C. 1611(c);

(ii) provides a list of Federal benefit programs that their respective

agencies administer that are restricted pursuant to 8 U.S.C. 1611; and

(iii) provides a list of Federal benefit programs that their respective

agencies administer that are not restricted pursuant to 8 U.S.C. 1611.

Sec. 4. Definitions. For the purposes of this order:

(a) the terms ``individuals,'' ``families,'' and

``persons'' mean any United States citizen, lawful

permanent resident, or other lawfully present alien who

is qualified to or otherwise may receive public

benefits;

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.S.C. 1611.

Sec. 4. Definitions. For the purposes of this order:

(a) the terms ``individuals,'' ``families,'' and

``persons'' mean any United States citizen, lawful

permanent resident, or other lawfully present alien who

is qualified to or otherwise may receive public

benefits;

[[Page 15944]]

(b) the terms ``work'' and ``workforce'' include

unsubsidized employment, subsidized employment, job

training, apprenticeships, career and technical

education training, job searches, basic education,

education directly related to current or future

employment, and workfare; and

(c) the terms ``welfare'' and ``public assistance''

include any program that provides means-tested

assistance, or other assistance that provides benefits

to people, households, or families that have low

incomes (i.e., those making less than twice the Federal

poverty level), the unemployed, or those out of the

labor force.

Sec. 5. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order

shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:

(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or

the head thereof; or

(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget

relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.

(b) This order shall be implemented consistent with

applicable law and subject to the availability of

appropriations.

uthority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or

the head thereof; or

(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget

relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.

(b) This order shall be implemented consistent with

applicable law and subject to the availability of

appropriations.

(c) This order is not intended to, and does not,

create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural,

enforceable at law or in equity by any party against

the United States, its departments, agencies, or

entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any

other person.

(Presidential Sig.)

THE WHITE HOUSE,

April 10, 2018.

[FR Doc. 2018-07874

Filed 4-12-18; 8:45 am]

Billing code 3295-F8-P