U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., has teamed up with U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, to offer a proposal giving the states more control over federal programs to tackle poverty.
Ernst and Rubio unveiled the “Economic Mobility, Prosperity, and Opportunities with Waivers that Enable Reforms for States (EMPOWERS)” Act on Friday. The proposal would late states create pilot projects as they look to alleviate poverty. The bill would let states “apply for four-year temporary waivers to integrate and reform two or more covered federal programs that assist people in need" while launching “designed to reduce poverty and promote employment, savings, financial literacy, family stability, and self-sufficiency for participants in order to receive a temporary waiver." Under the proposal, “states that obtain waivers with the same level of funding that people in their state would otherwise receive for the covered programs, and require the states to reinvest any savings into helping low-income families and individuals." The legislation would also create the Interagency Board for Empowering Low-Income Families to manage waivers.
Rubio made his case on Friday on why the bill was needed.
“The EMPOWERS Act recognizes what Americans already know: Washington doesn’t have all the answers. More than 50 years after President Lyndon Johnson declared war on poverty, it’s clear our social safety net programs are in desperate need of innovation and modernization,” said Rubio. “I’m proud to join my friend Senator Ernst in introducing this bill, which will empower states to develop new ways to help the most vulnerable Americans and reduce poverty.”
“I’ve heard from Iowans struggling to make ends meet that due to current federal programs in place, taking one step forward often means taking two steps back,” said Ernst. “Worse yet, these programs sometimes punish self-sufficiency through stiff phase out rates, or ‘cliff effects’ which inadvertently penalize individuals when they gain employment or are awarded a raise. The EMPOWERS Act encourages states to develop solutions that utilize federal resources to remove barriers to self-sufficiency and help families and individuals find long-term success.”
Rubio campaigned for Ernst when she first ran for the Senate back in 2014 and they have worked together on various matters in Washington. During the 2016 presidential campaign, Ernst campaigned with Rubio in Iowa, home of the first caucus, but did not endorse his bid for the Republican nomination.
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