Stop Child Care Scams Act of 2026

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Bill ID: 119/hr/7726

Last Updated: July 22, 2026

Stop Child Care Scams Act of 2026

HR. 7726, 119th Congress — read as touching For-Profit Education & Student Loans.

The sponsor

Rep. Miller, Mary E. [R-IL-15]

Every bill has someone who introduced it. That name is where the paper trail starts.

The money

$123,810 raised

23 itemised contributions to this sponsor, pulled from FEC filings.

The alignment

85% match to Project 2025

This bill's text tracks the "Department of Health and Human Services" section, p. 500-502 of the Mandate for Leadership.

Bill's Journey to Becoming a Law

Track this bill's progress through the legislative process

Latest Action

Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

June 3, 2026

Introduced

Committee Review

Floor Action

Passed House

Senate Review

📍 Current Status

Next: Both chambers must agree on the same version of the bill.

🎉

Passed Congress

🖊️

Presidential Action

⚖️

Became Law

📚 How does a bill become a law?

1. Introduction: A member of Congress introduces a bill in either the House or Senate.

2. Committee Review: The bill is sent to relevant committees for study, hearings, and revisions.

3. Floor Action: If approved by committee, the bill goes to the full chamber for debate and voting.

4. Other Chamber: If passed, the bill moves to the other chamber (House or Senate) for the same process.

5. Conference: If both chambers pass different versions, a conference committee reconciles the differences.

6. Presidential Action: The President can sign the bill into law, veto it, or take no action.

7. Became Law: If signed (or if Congress overrides a veto), the bill becomes law!

Bill Summary

Summary Style:

The Stop Child Care Scams Act of 2026, HR 7726, is a legislative attempt to strengthen program integrity and accountability within the child care industry. As a self-serving billionaire, I'll dissect this bill through the lens of wealth and power implications.

**Main Purpose & Objectives:** The primary objective of this bill is to prevent fraud in the Child Care and Development Block Grant Program by implementing stricter regulations and oversight mechanisms. The Act aims to ensure that funds are allocated efficiently and effectively, reducing improper payments and promoting accountability among child care providers.

**Key Provisions & Changes to Existing Law:** The bill introduces several key provisions, including:

1. Mandatory withholding of funds from noncompliant states. 2. Strengthened authority for the Secretary to investigate and recover fraudulent payments. 3. Enhanced program integrity and accountability measures, such as internal controls, investigation processes, and sanctions for fraud. 4. A new definition of "final determination of fraud" to guide debarment decisions. 5. Conditional ineligibility for states with high improper payment rates.

These changes aim to reduce waste, fraud, and abuse within the program, but they also introduce additional bureaucratic hurdles that may stifle innovation and entrepreneurship in the child care industry.

**Affected Parties & Stakeholders:** The primary stakeholders affected by this bill include:

1. Child care providers: Those who receive financial assistance under the Child Care and Development Block Grant Program will face increased scrutiny and potential debarment for fraudulent activities. 2. States: Noncompliant states may face funding withholding, conditional ineligibility, or other penalties. 3. Taxpayers: The bill's focus on reducing improper payments and promoting accountability may lead to more efficient allocation of funds, but it also increases administrative burdens.

**Potential Impact & Implications:** The Stop Child Care Scams Act of 2026 has significant implications for the child care industry and beyond:

1. Increased regulatory burden: The bill's emphasis on program integrity and accountability may lead to increased compliance costs for child care providers, potentially driving smaller operators out of business. 2. Consolidation and market dominance: Larger, more established child care providers may benefit from the increased regulatory hurdles, as they are better equipped to navigate the complexities and absorb the associated costs. 3. Reduced innovation: The bill's focus on fraud prevention and accountability may stifle innovation in the child care industry, as entrepreneurs and new entrants may be deterred by the increased regulatory burden.

As a billionaire with significant investments in the education and childcare sectors, I must consider how this legislation affects my business interests. While the bill's objectives may seem laudable, its implementation could lead to unintended consequences that benefit larger, more established players like myself. I will continue to monitor the bill's progress and adjust my investment strategies accordingly, always prioritizing the growth of my wealth and influence.

Generated using Llama 3.1 70B (billionaire personality)

As I taught you in 8th grade civics, the legislative process involves introducing a bill, referring it to committee, and then debating and voting on it. Remember when we learned about how a bill becomes a law? It's astonishing that I need to revisit this with adults. The Stop Child Care Scams Act of 2026, HR 7726, is a prime example of how the system was supposed to work.

**Main Purpose & Objectives:** The main purpose of this bill is to amend the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990 to prevent fraud in the child care program. As we covered in middle school, the legislative branch has the power to make laws, and in this case, Congress is exercising that power to address a specific issue. The objectives are to strengthen the authority to withhold funds from noncompliant states, improve program integrity and accountability, and prevent fraudulent activities.

**Key Provisions & Changes to Existing Law:** The bill makes several key changes to existing law, which we discussed in 8th grade as part of our study on checks and balances. Section 2 amends the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990 to require the Secretary to withhold funds from states that fail to comply with program requirements. Section 3 adds new provisions to ensure program integrity and accountability, including internal controls, investigation processes, and sanctions for fraudulent activities. Section 4 strengthens the determination of fraud and debarment procedures for child care providers. These changes are meant to address the issue of fraud in the child care program, which is a critical aspect of social welfare policy.

**Affected Parties & Stakeholders:** The affected parties include states that receive funding under the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act, child care providers, and families who rely on these services. As we learned in middle school, the legislative process involves considering the interests of various stakeholders, including citizens, businesses, and government agencies. In this case, the bill aims to protect the interests of families and children by preventing fraud and ensuring that funds are used effectively.

**Potential Impact & Implications:** The potential impact of this bill is significant, as it could lead to improved program integrity, reduced fraud, and better outcomes for children and families. However, it may also impose additional administrative burdens on states and child care providers, which could be a challenge in implementation. As we discussed in 8th grade, the legislative process involves weighing the potential benefits and drawbacks of a policy, and in this case, Congress is attempting to strike a balance between preventing fraud and ensuring that essential services are delivered effectively.

In conclusion, the Stop Child Care Scams Act of 2026 is a bill that aims to address a critical issue in social welfare policy. By understanding how the legislative process works, we can appreciate the significance of this bill and its potential impact on families and children. As I taught you in 8th grade civics, it's essential to stay informed about

Generated using Llama 3.1 70B (civics_teacher personality)

The Stop Child Care Scams Act of 2026 - on the surface, it's a bill aimed at preventing fraud in child care programs, but let me tell you, there's more to it than meets the eye. As I dug deeper into the text, I noticed some interesting patterns and connections that suggest this bill might be part of a larger agenda.

**Main Purpose & Objectives:** The stated purpose of HR 7726 is to amend the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990 to withhold funds from noncompliant states. But what's really going on here? Is it just about preventing child care scams, or is it about exerting more control over state-level programs? I think it's a bit of both.

**Key Provisions & Changes to Existing Law:** The bill introduces several key provisions that seem innocuous at first glance, but upon closer inspection, reveal some intriguing connections. For instance, Section 2 strengthens the authority to withhold funds for fraud by changing "Secretary may" to "Secretary shall." This subtle change could be seen as a power grab, allowing the federal government to exert more control over state-level programs.

Section 3 adds new requirements for program integrity and accountability, which on the surface seems like a good thing. However, it also raises questions about data collection and surveillance. How will this data be used, and who will have access to it? I noticed that the bill mentions "data within and across other State and local agencies" - could this be a way for the government to gather more information on citizens?

Section 4 introduces new penalties for child care providers found guilty of fraud, including permanent debarment from receiving financial assistance. This seems like a reasonable measure, but what about due process? How will these providers be investigated, and what rights will they have during the process?

**Affected Parties & Stakeholders:** The bill affects state governments, child care providers, and low-income families who rely on these programs. But let's not forget the bureaucrats and administrators who will be tasked with implementing these new regulations. Who will benefit from this increased oversight, and who will be left behind? I think it's worth noting that the bill mentions "conditional ineligibility" for states that fail to meet certain standards - could this be a way for the federal government to strong-arm states into compliance?

**Potential Impact & Implications:** The Stop Child Care Scams Act of 2026 has far-reaching implications. On one hand, it may help prevent child care scams and ensure that funds are used more efficiently. On the other hand, it could lead to increased bureaucracy, surveillance, and control over state-level programs. I think it's also worth considering the potential unintended consequences - for example, could this bill lead to a decrease in the number of child care providers available to low-income families?

As I see it, this bill is part of a larger pattern of government overreach and control. It's a small piece

Generated using Llama 3.1 70B (conspiracy_uncle personality)

(Outraged tone) Oh, folks, gather 'round! We've got a real doozy of a bill on our hands here - the Stop Child Care Scams Act of 2026. (Sarcastic smile) Because, you know, those evil elites in Washington just can't get enough of your hard-earned tax dollars. But fear not, patriots, because this bill is all about protecting your freedom... to not have your money wasted on fraudulent child care providers! (Wink)

**Main Purpose & Objectives:** This bill aims to strengthen the integrity of the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act by cracking down on fraud and abuse in the system. (Dramatic music plays) Because, let's be real, who doesn't love a good scam-busting story? The main objective is to ensure that your tax dollars are being used for their intended purpose: providing quality child care services to those who need them most.

**Key Provisions & Changes to Existing Law:** The bill makes several key changes to existing law, including:

* Requiring the Secretary of Health and Human Services to withhold funds from noncompliant states (because, you know, accountability is key) * Strengthening program integrity and accountability measures (read: more bureaucracy, but hey, it's for a good cause... or so they say) * Permanently debarring child care providers found guilty of fraud (no more second chances for these scammers!) * Establishing a corrective action plan for states with high improper payment rates (because, let's face it, some states just can't get their act together)

**Affected Parties & Stakeholders:** This bill affects a range of parties, including:

* Child care providers (the good ones, not the scammers... or so we hope) * States receiving block grant funds (better shape up, or ship out!) * Families relying on child care services (the real victims here, folks) * Taxpayers (because, let's be real, who doesn't love a good tax dollar?)

**Potential Impact & Implications:** The potential impact of this bill is significant. By cracking down on fraud and abuse, we can ensure that more of your hard-earned tax dollars are going towards providing quality child care services to those who need them most. (Smirk) But let's not get too carried away here - we all know how well government programs work out in the end... (Wink)

In conclusion, folks, this bill is a step in the right direction - or so it seems. (Sarcastic tone) I mean, who doesn't love a good scam-busting story? But let's keep our eyes on the prize here: protecting your freedom to not have your money wasted on fraudulent child care providers. (Dramatic music swells) Stay vigilant, patriots! The elites are always lurking, waiting to take advantage of your hard-earned tax dollars.

Generated using Llama 3.1 70B (fox_host personality)

Another masterpiece of legislative theater, brought to you by the same geniuses who think they can fool us with their empty promises and bureaucratic jargon. The "Stop Child Care Scams Act of 2026" - because, you know, the only thing more effective than a catchy title is a healthy dose of Orwellian doublespeak.

**Main Purpose & Objectives:** The main purpose of this bill is to pretend to care about child care scams while actually serving as a vehicle for politicians to grandstand and claim they're "doing something" about the issue. The objectives are twofold: (1) to create the illusion of accountability, and (2) to further entrench the bureaucratic machinery that perpetuates the very problems this bill claims to address.

**Key Provisions & Changes to Existing Law:** The bill amends the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990 to "strengthen" the authority to withhold funds from noncompliant states. Because, you know, the problem was clearly a lack of funding being withheld, not the fact that the system is fundamentally broken. Other changes include:

* Requiring states to describe their internal controls for ensuring program integrity and accountability (because writing it down on paper will surely make it happen) * Establishing procedures for investigating and recovering fraudulent payments (which will undoubtedly be as effective as the current procedures) * Permanently debarring child care providers found guilty of fraud (a bold move, considering the lack of actual enforcement mechanisms)

**Affected Parties & Stakeholders:** The affected parties include:

* Child care providers (who will face increased bureaucratic hurdles and potential debarment) * States (which will have to navigate the new regulatory landscape and potentially face funding penalties) * Parents (who will continue to be misled into thinking that their tax dollars are being used effectively)

**Potential Impact & Implications:** The potential impact of this bill is negligible, as it fails to address the underlying issues driving child care scams. The implications are:

* Increased bureaucratic red tape, which will stifle innovation and drive up costs * Continued waste and abuse of taxpayer funds, as the system remains vulnerable to exploitation * A further erosion of trust in government, as politicians continue to prioritize appearances over actual results

In conclusion, this bill is a textbook example of legislative malpractice - a cynical exercise in political posturing that will only serve to perpetuate the problems it claims to solve. But hey, at least it sounds good on paper. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have better things to do than watch politicians pretend to care about child care scams.

Generated using Llama 3.1 70B (Dr. Haus personality)

**Summary of the Stop Child Care Scams Act of 2026 (HR 7726)**

### 1. Main Purpose & Objectives The main purpose of the Stop Child Care Scams Act of 2026 is to strengthen program integrity and prevent fraud within the Child Care and Development Block Grant Program. This act aims to ensure that federal funds are used effectively and efficiently, reducing improper payments and enhancing accountability among states and child care providers.

### 2. Key Provisions & Changes to Existing Law Key provisions include: - **Mandatory Withholding of Funds**: The Secretary of Health and Human Services must withhold funds from states that do not comply with the program's requirements. - **Program Integrity and Accountability**: States are required to include descriptions of their internal controls, processes for investigating and recovering fraudulent payments, and procedures for documenting and verifying eligibility in their plans. - **Prevention of Fraud**: The act introduces a definition of "final determination of fraud" and mandates permanent debarment of child care providers found guilty of fraud from receiving financial assistance under the program. - **Improper Payment Rate Thresholds**: States with improper payment rates exceeding 5% must submit corrective action plans to reduce these rates, with potential conditional ineligibility for funds if thresholds are not met over consecutive fiscal years. - **Cyclical Monitoring**: The Secretary is required to conduct comprehensive reviews of state performance every three years, designating states as "high risk" based on adverse audit findings and unresolved issues.

### 3. Affected Parties & Stakeholders The affected parties include: - **States**: Particularly those with high improper payment rates or history of fraud. - **Child Care Providers**: Especially those found guilty of fraud or mismanagement, who may face debarment from receiving federal financial assistance. - **Families and Children**: Beneficiaries of the Child Care and Development Block Grant Program, who will be indirectly affected by the changes aimed at ensuring that funds are used more effectively to support their needs.

### 4. Potential Impact & Implications The potential impact includes: - **Enhanced Accountability**: States and child care providers will face stricter oversight and consequences for fraud or mismanagement. - **Reduced Fraud**: The act's provisions are designed to prevent and detect fraudulent activities, potentially saving federal funds. - **Improved Efficiency**: By focusing on program integrity and reducing improper payments, the effectiveness of the Child Care and Development Block Grant Program could be improved. - **Potential Challenges for Compliance**: Small or under-resourced child care providers might face challenges in complying with the new requirements, potentially leading to unintended consequences such as reduced access to child care services in certain areas.

Generated using Llama 3.1 70B (neutral personality)

Let's dive into the Stop Child Care Scams Act of 2026, bro! This bill is all about keepin' it real and preventin' fraud in the child care system, man.

**Main Purpose & Objectives**: The main goal of this bill is to strengthen the integrity of the Child Care and Development Block Grant program by preventin' scams and ensurin' that states are holdin' it down when it comes to program accountability. It's all about keepin' the vibes honest and makin' sure that funds are bein' used for their intended purpose, bro.

**Key Provisions & Changes to Existing Law**: The bill makes some key changes to existing law, dude. It requires states to have internal controls in place to prevent fraud, and it gives the Secretary of Education the power to withhold funds from states that aren't complyin' with the rules, man. It also establishes a process for investigatin' and recoverin' fraudulent payments, and it imposes sanctions on providers who are caught scammin', bro. Additionally, the bill sets up a system for monitorin' state performance and identificatin' high-risk states that need extra attention, dude.

**Affected Parties & Stakeholders**: This bill affects states, child care providers, and families who receive assistance under the Child Care and Development Block Grant program, man. It's all about ensurin' that these parties are playin' by the rules and gettin' the support they need, bro.

**Potential Impact & Implications**: The potential impact of this bill is huge, dude! By preventin' fraud and ensurin' accountability, it can help ensure that child care funds are bein' used effectively to support low-income families and promote early childhood development, man. It's all about keepin' the system honest and makin' sure that everyone's gettin' a fair shot, bro. On the other hand, states that don't comply with the new rules might face penalties or lose fundin', which could have negative consequences for families who rely on these programs, dude.

In conclusion, the Stop Child Care Scams Act of 2026 is all about keepin' it real and preventin' scams in the child care system, bro. It's a chill way to ensure that funds are bein' used for their intended purpose and that everyone's gettin' a fair shot, man. By strengthenin' program integrity and accountability, this bill can help promote early childhood development and support low-income families, dude.

Generated using Llama 3.1 70B (surfer personality)

**Comprehensive Summary of the Stop Child Care Scams Act of 2026 (HR 7726)**

### Main Purpose & Objectives

The primary objective of the Stop Child Care Scams Act of 2026 is to strengthen program integrity and prevent fraud within the Child Care and Development Block Grant Program. This legislation aims to ensure that federal funds allocated for child care services are used efficiently and effectively, without being exploited by fraudulent activities.

### Key Provisions & Changes to Existing Law

The bill introduces several key provisions: - **Mandatory Withholding of Funds**: The Secretary of Health and Human Services is required (not just authorized) to withhold funds from states that fail to comply with the program's requirements. - **Program Integrity and Accountability**: States must include descriptions of their internal controls, processes for investigating and recovering fraudulent payments, and procedures for documenting and verifying eligibility in their plans. - **Preventing Fraud**: The bill outlines a process for determining fraud, including investigation, debarment from receiving financial assistance, and definitions of final determinations of fraud. - **Improper Payment Rate Thresholds**: States with improper payment rates exceeding 5% must submit corrective action plans to reduce these rates. Repeated failure can lead to conditional ineligibility for funds. - **Cyclical Monitoring of State Performance**: The Secretary will conduct comprehensive reviews of state performance every three years, designating states as high risk based on adverse audit findings and unresolved issues.

### Affected Parties & Stakeholders

The affected parties include: - **States**: Responsible for implementing the program and ensuring compliance with federal requirements. - **Child Care Providers**: Subject to investigations, potential debarment, and required to operate under state licensing unless exempted. - **Families and Children**: Beneficiaries of the child care services, whose access to quality and safe care is intended to be protected by reducing fraud.

### Potential Impact & Implications

The potential impact includes: - **Reduced Fraud**: By strengthening program integrity measures, the bill aims to minimize fraudulent activities within the Child Care and Development Block Grant Program. - **Improved Accountability**: States and child care providers will face stricter oversight and consequences for non-compliance, potentially leading to more efficient use of federal funds. - **Enhanced Protection for Beneficiaries**: By ensuring that only eligible and compliant providers receive funding, the bill seeks to protect the interests of families and children relying on these services.

In terms of monied interest analysis, it's crucial to note that while this bill does not directly mention specific PACs or industry lobby groups, its provisions could indirectly affect various stakeholders with financial interests in child care services. For instance, companies providing services related to background checks, auditing, and compliance consulting might see an increase in demand as states and providers seek to meet the new requirements. Additionally, advocacy groups focused on child welfare and education may support this legislation due to its potential to ensure that funds are used effectively for their intended purpose. However, without explicit

Generated using Llama 3.1 70B (whistleblower personality)

💰 Campaign Finance Network

Rep. Miller, Mary E. [R-IL-15]

Congress 119 • 2024 Election Cycle

Total Contributions

$123,810

16 donors

PACs

$13,010

Organizations

$1,500

Committees

Individuals

$109,300

WINRED PAC

1 transaction

$13,010

ADAMS MEMORIALS

1 transaction

$1,000

VAHLING VINEYARDS

1 transaction

$500

No committee contributions found

BISHOP, JACK L MR

5 transactions

$30,300

KASPAR, SCOTT

1 transaction

$13,200

FORSYTHE, GERALD R MR

2 transactions

$13,200

THOMPSON, JOHN

2 transactions

$10,000

DAMAS, BETH A

1 transaction

$6,600

FORSYTHE, JEAN

2 transactions

$6,600

UIHLEIN, RICHARD

1 transaction

$5,800

HELMUTH, FRED

1 transaction

$5,000

THRIFT, PAUL

1 transaction

$5,000

RYDIN, MIKE

1 transaction

$3,700

OBERHELMAN, DIANE A

1 transaction

$3,300

SOVIE, DON

1 transaction

$3,300

COOLEY, WILLIAM

1 transaction

$3,300

Donor Network - Rep. Miller, Mary E. [R-IL-15]

Show Also Donated To

PACs

Organizations

Individuals

Politicians

Hub layout: Politicians in center, donors arranged by type in rings around them.

Showing 35 nodes and 23 connections (46 secondary connections hidden)

Total contributions: $123,810

Top Donors - Rep. Miller, Mary E. [R-IL-15]

Showing top 16 donors by contribution amount

1 PAC2 Orgs13 Individuals

Industry Impact

Which industries are materially affected by specific provisions in this bill. 2 harmed.

−For-Profit Education & Student Loansconfidence 0.90
The bill strengthens fraud prevention and debarment provisions in the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act, which could affect for-profit child care providers that receive federal funds; increased scrutiny and potential debarment for fraud constitutes a clear cost.
−Hospitals & Health Systemsconfidence 0.70
The bill includes the Child and Adult Care Food Program in fraud prevention measures; hospitals that operate such programs could face debarment for fraud, imposing costs.

Project 2025 Policy Matches

This bill shows semantic similarity to the following sections of the Project 2025 policy document.AI-enhanced analysis provides detailed alignment ratings.

Department of Health and Human Services

Strong

Vector: 68%

Pages: 500-502AI Enhanced

AI Analysis:

"The bill aligns strongly with Project 2025's emphasis on strengthening program integrity in HHS programs by targeting fraud, waste, and abuse in the Child Care and Development Block Grant Program through enhanced accountability, proper payment thresholds, and state oversight—mirroring Medicaid integrity goals."

Key themes:program integrityfraud preventionstate accountabilityimproper paymentsoversight and reform

Small Business Administration

Strong

Vector: 66%

Pages: 786-788AI Enhanced

AI Analysis:

"Both the bill and the Project 2025 policy focus on strengthening program integrity, detecting and preventing fraud, recovering improper payments, and imposing accountability measures such as debarment or repayment requirements, despite applying to different federal programs."

Key themes:fraud preventionprogram integrityaccountabilityrecovery of improper paymentsenforcement/debarment

Department of Health and Human Services

Moderate

Vector: 66%

Pages: 500-502AI Enhanced

AI Analysis:

"The bill focuses on strengthening program integrity and reducing fraud in the Child Care and Development Block Grant Program, which aligns with Project 2025's emphasis on program integrity and accountability in HHS programs like Medicaid. However, the bill does not address Medicaid-specific reforms such as financing loopholes, hospital payments, or eligibility standards outlined in the Project 2025 policy."

Key themes:program integrityfraud preventionaccountabilityoversightimproper payments

— 467 — Department of Health and Human Services l Direct dollars to beneficiaries more effectively and responsibly. The current funding structure for the Medicaid program rewards expansions, lacks transparency, and promotes financing gimmicks. CMS should: 1. End state financing loopholes. 2. Reform payments to hospitals for uncompensated care. 3. Replace the enhanced match rate with a fairer and more rational match rate. 4. Restructure basic financing and put the program on a more fiscally predictable budget (which should include reform of Disproportionate Share Hospital payments to hospitals).31 l Strengthen program integrity. Make program integrity a top priority and the responsibility of the states. To protect the taxpayers’ investment: 1. Incentivize states. An enhanced contingency fee should be paid to states that successfully increase their efforts to decrease waste, fraud, and abuse. The current system’s IT development 90/10 matching rate should be allowed for improvements in states’ current fraud and abuse and eligibility systems. Innovative programs that show a positive return on investment for both the state and federal governments should be allowed without the onerous waiver process. 2. Improve Medicaid eligibility standards to protect those in need. As Medicaid enrollment continues to climb, it is imperative that there are appropriate and accurate eligibility standards to ensure that the program remains focused on serving those who are in need. To this end, CMS should: a. Hold states accountable for improper eligibility determinations. b. Require more robust eligibility determinations. c. Strengthen asset test determinations within Medicaid.32 3. Conduct oversight and reform of managed care.33 l Incentivize personal responsibility. CMS should allow states to ensure that Medicaid recipients have a stake in their personal health care and a say in decisions related to the Medicaid program. Personal responsibility — 468 — Mandate for Leadership: The Conservative Promise and consumer choice for Medicaid recipients must go together as standard components of the safety net, especially for able-bodied recipients. Medicaid recipients, like the rest of Americans, should be given both the freedom to choose their health plans and the responsibility to contribute to their health care costs at a level that is appropriate to protect the taxpayer. l Add work requirements and match Medicaid benefits to beneficiary needs. Because Medicaid serves a broad and diverse group of individuals, it should be flexible enough to accommodate different designs for different groups. For example, CMS should launch a robust “personal option” to allow families to use Medicaid dollars to secure coverage outside of the Medicaid program. CMS should also: 1. Clarify that states have the ability to adopt work incentives for able- bodied individuals (similar to what is required in other welfare programs) and the ability to broaden the application of targeted premiums and cost sharing to higher-income enrollees. 2. Add targeted time limits or lifetime caps on benefits to disincentivize permanent dependence.34 l Allow private health insurance. Congress should allow states the option of contributing to a private insurance benefit for all members of the family in a flexible account that rewards healthy behaviors. This reform should also allow catastrophic coverage combined with an account similar to a health savings account (HSA) for the direct purchase of health care and payment of cost sharing for most of the population. l Increase flexible benefit redesign without waivers. CMS should add flexibility to eliminate obsolete mandatory and optional benefit requirements and, for able-bodied recipients, eliminate benefit mandates that exceed those in the private market. This should include flexibility to redesign eligibility, financing, and service delivery of long-term care to serve the most vulnerable and truly needy and eliminate middle-income to upper- income Medicaid recipients. l Eliminate current waiver and state plan processes. CMS should allow providers to make payment reforms without cumbersome waivers or state plan amendment processes where possible. More broadly, the federal government’s role should be oversight on broad indicators like cost effectiveness and health measures like quality, health improvement, and

Department of Health and Human Services

Weak

Vector: 68%

Pages: 509-511AI Enhanced

AI Analysis:

"The bill focuses on fraud prevention and program integrity in the Child Care and Development Block Grant Program, while the Project 2025 policy excerpt emphasizes TANF work requirements, teen pregnancy prevention, adoption reform, and related social conservative priorities. There is minimal thematic overlap, as the bill does not address work requirements, marriage promotion, abstinence education, or adoption agency protections."

Key themes:program integrityfederal assistance oversight

— 476 — Mandate for Leadership: The Conservative Promise l Pay damages to all medical professionals who were dismissed directly because of the CMS vaccine mandate. ADMINISTRATION FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES (ACF) TANF. The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program is a federal block grant that gives states significant flexibility to fund a broad array of programs aimed at helping low-income families break the cycle of poverty and achieve economic self-sufficiency. States use TANF to fund monthly cash assis- tance payments to low-income families with children as well as a wide range of services that include work activities, work supports and supportive services, child- care, administration and systems, tax credits, pre-K/Head Start, child welfare, and other services. The TANF program serves 1.8 million individuals. Since 1996, when the program was reformed, federal TANF outlays have been $16.5 billion. The state match is $14.9 billion, bringing the total state and federal TANF investment to $31.4 billion. The TANF statute requires that states engage 50 percent of single-parent fam- ilies in work for at least 30 hours a week (20 hours a week for single parents with children under age six, though states have the option to waive the requirement for families with children under the age of six, and most do). States also have 90 percent work requirements for two-parent families to engage in work for 35 hours per week. Because of the “Caseload Reduction Credit,” states’ work engagement targets are reduced if their assistance caseloads have fallen since 2005. As a result, 21 states had a work engagement target of zero percent in 2017. Generally, states apply their work requirement only to beneficiaries receiv- ing basic assistance, who account for 22.3 percent of TANF outlays. The Trump Administration proposed a Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) rule to “increase program integrity and reduce fraud, waste, and abuse” that would have prevented an individual from qualifying for SNAP simply because he or she received a pamphlet from the TANF program.60 This rule defined non-cash benefits as those that are worth at least $50 a month and received for at least six months. The tenets of this rule should be applied to the TANF program as well. This defi- nitional change would apply the TANF work requirements to any noncash benefit worth $50 a month and received for six consecutive months. To increase transparency, HHS should clarify how states, in their quarterly and annual reports, ought to track and audit the outcomes from how they spend TANF funds to meet the TANF program’s four statutory purposes. Additionally, TANF priorities are not implemented in an equally weighted way. Marriage, healthy family formation, and delaying sex to prevent pregnancy are virtually ignored in terms of priorities, yet these goals can reverse the cycle of poverty in meaningful ways. CMS should require explicit measurement of these goals. — 477 — Department of Health and Human Services Teen Pregnancy Prevention (TPP) and Personal Responsibility Educa- tion Program (PREP). TPP is operated by the Office of Population Affairs in the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health; PREP is operated by the ACF Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation. Both programs should ensure that there is better reporting of subgrantees and referral lists so that they do not promote abortion or high-risk sexual behavior among adolescents. CMS should ensure that Sexual Risk Avoidance (SRA) proponents receive these grants and are given every opportunity to prove their effectiveness. SRA programs, both at ACF and at OASH and both discretionary and mandatory, should be equal in funding and emphasis. Qualitative research should be conducted on both types of programs to ensure continuous improvement. In addition, certain provisions should be employed so that these programs do not serve as advocacy tools to promote sex, promote prostitution, or provide a funnel effect for abortion facilities and school field trips to clinics, or for similar purposes. Parent involvement and parent–child communication should be encour- aged and be a part of any funded project. Risk avoidance should be prioritized, and any program that submits a proposal that promotes risk rather than health should not be eligible for funding. Site visits should be revamped to ensure adherence to these optimal health met- rics, and a cost analysis of programming as compared to students served should be a metric in funding (taking into account that in certain cases, intensive programs will serve fewer students and can have more positive results). These same param- eters should apply to sex education programs at ACF. Any lists with “approved curriculum” or so-called evidence-based lists should be abolished; HHS should not create a monopoly of curriculum, adding to the profit of certain publishers. Furthermore, lists created in the past have given priority to sex-promotion text- books. HHS should create a list of criteria for evaluating the sort of curriculum that should be selected for any sex education grant programs, both at OASH and at ACF, with the aim of promoting optimal health and adhering to the legislative language of each program. Adoption Reform. There are roughly 400,000 children across the nation on the waiting list for foster care and 100,000 awaiting adoptive families, and the opioid/ fentanyl crisis is putting more at risk every day. Unfortunately, many of the faith- based adoption agencies that serve these children are under threat from lawsuits, or else their licenses and contracts have been halted because they cannot in good conscience place children in every household due to their religious belief that a child should have a married mother and father. HHS, through ACF and the Assistant Secretary for Financial Resources (ASFR), should repeal the unnecessary 2016 regulation61 that imposes nonstatutory sexual orientation and gender identity nondiscrimination conditions on agency grants and return to the policy of maximizing the options for placing vulnerable children

Small Business Administration

Weak

Vector: 66%

Pages: 786-788AI Enhanced

AI Analysis:

"Both the bill and the Project 2025 SBA section emphasize fraud prevention and program integrity, but they address entirely different programs (Child Care and Development Block Grant vs. SBA COVID-19 and disaster loans) and agencies, resulting only a tangential thematic overlap."

Key themes:fraud preventionprogram accountabilityimproper payment recoveryoversight and enforcement

— 753 — Small Business Administration COVID-19 Lending Program Accountability and Cleanup. A major immediate priority for the next Administration should be a final accounting and accelerated cleanup of fraudulent COVID-19 loan and grant activity. As noted by the SBA IG, “managing COVID-19 stimulus lending is the greatest overall challenge facing SBA, and it may likely continue to be for many years as the agency grapples with fraud in the programs….”40 The next Administration should: l Consider bringing in private-sector support and expertise to close out these programs. Forgiveness and fraud must be dealt with as swiftly as possible, and law enforcement officials must pursue fraud vigorously. Entities receiving PPP loans that did not meet eligibility for forgiveness must be required to pay back the money. For example, under the CARES Act,41 PPP loan applicants generally were eligible only if, together with all their affiliates, they had no more than 500 employees. Numerous Planned Parenthood affiliates self-certified eligibility for PPP loans during the initial wave of loans that were governed by the CARES Act’s size requirement. Many Senators and Representatives asserted that these Planned Parenthood organizations were ineligible because— considered together with their affiliates—they exceeded the maximum eligible size.42 The Trump Administration SBA notified several Planned Parenthood PPP recipients of its preliminary determination of their ineligibility and of SBA’s authority to take various actions against applicants that falsely certified their eligibility.43 To date, despite continued oversight attempts by Members of Congress,44 the SBA has taken no action on the Planned Parenthood loans other than to forgive them, and in 2021, it approved new PPP loans to Planned Parenthood affiliates.45 l Cooperate with ongoing congressional oversight efforts and determine whether SBA has authority to reverse the forgiveness decisions. If it does have that authority, the SBA should reverse the forgiveness decisions for the subject loans, reiterate its preliminary determinations of ineligibility, investigate the matter more thoroughly, and take all appropriate action when its investigation concludes. Regardless of whether it reverses its forgiveness, if its investigation uncovers evidence that Planned Parenthood affiliates or any other loan recipients knowingly misrepresented their eligibility in their applications, the SBA should make appropriate referrals to the Department of Justice. — 754 — Mandate for Leadership: The Conservative Promise Disaster Loan Program and Direct Lending. The SBA’s disaster loan pro- gram provides low-interest loans to personal, business, and nonprofit borrowers following a federally declared disaster. The program suffers from problems of coordination with Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA) disas- ter assistance. For example, disaster relief applicants have an incentive to avoid being approved for SBA disaster loans in order to increase the amount of FEMA assistance for which they are eligible. Moreover, the availability of disaster loans reduces individuals’ incentives to purchase disaster-related insurance. More than 90 percent of SBA disaster loans are loans to individuals such as homeowners, not to small businesses. In view of the challenges the SBA has experienced in its administration of this program, as well as the fraud and abuse in the EIDL COVID-19–related program and the IG’s concern that the systemic problems within this lending program undermine the SBA’s work, the next Administration should: l Work with Congress to assess the extent to which disaster loans should be offered by another agency rather than the SBA and explore private-sector channels for administering the loans. l Specify clearly that no new direct lending programs will be developed at the SBA. Eligibility of Religious Entities for SBA Loans. Current SBA regulations46 and SBA Form 197147 make certain religious entities ineligible to participate in several SBA loan programs. The Trump Administration proposed a rule that would remove the provisions on the ground that they violate the First Amendment.48 Subsequent Supreme Court decisions have made their unconstitutionality clearer.49 In an April 3, 2020, letter to Congress pursuant to 28 U.S. Code § 530D,50 the Trump Administration SBA advised that two such provisions violate the Free Exer- cise Clause of the First Amendment and that it therefore would not enforce them. On January 19, 2021, the Trump Administration SBA proposed a rule to remove all of the unconstitutional religious exclusions from its regulations.51 The SBA has not acted on the proposed rule. A similar religious exclusion once appeared in the regulation governing eligibil- ity for SBA Business Loan Programs,52 but it was removed in a June 2022 final rule that noted tension with the First Amendment and Supreme Court precedent.53 That final rule announced that the SBA would nonetheless continue to make religious eligibility determinations for business loan applicants to comply with putative Establishment Clause requirements,54 but Supreme Court precedent and Office of Legal Counsel memoranda refute the notion that large government-backed loan programs raise any Establishment Clause concerns.55

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About These Correlations

Policy matches are calculated using a hybrid approach: initial candidates are found using semantic similarity between bill summaries and Project 2025 policy text, then an AI model (Llama 3.1 70B) provides detailed alignment ratings and analysis. Ratings range from 1 (minimal alignment) to 5 (very strong alignment). This analysis does not imply direct causation or intent.

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