S. 4673

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 4673 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 4673

To increase workforce participation by recipients of Federal public 
housing assistance, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

June 3, 2026

Mrs. Britt (for herself and Mrs. Blackburn) introduced the following 
bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, 
Housing, and Urban Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To increase workforce participation by recipients of Federal public 
housing assistance, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Pathways to a Thriving Household 
Act'' or the ``PATH Act''.

SEC. 2. ASSISTED HOUSING WORKFORCE PARTICIPATION.

(a) In General.--Section 16 of the United States Housing Act of 
1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437n) is amended by adding at the end the following:
``(g) Minimum Work Requirements.--
``(1) In general.--A public housing agency, in the case of 
public housing, tenant-based assistance (as defined in section 
8(f)), or project-based voucher assistance under section 
8(o)(13) or an owner, in the case of project-based assistance 
(as defined in section 8(f)) excluding project-based voucher 
assistance under section 8(o)(13), may establish minimum work 
requirements for individuals or families, which--
``(A) shall specify a maximum 40 hour per week work 
requirement; and
``(B) shall not apply to--
``(i) an individual under 18 years of age 
or over 62 years of age;
``(ii) an individual with a disability;
``(iii) a pregnant woman;
``(iv) the primary parent or caretaker of a 
dependent child under 6 years of age or for an 
individual that is temporarily incapacitated;
``(v) the primary parent or caretaker of a 
dependent with a serious medical condition or 
disability, as determined by the State agency 
established or designated to administer or 
supervise the administration of the State plan;
``(vi) an individual who is enrolled as a 
student in an institution of higher education, 
as defined in section 102 of the Higher 
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1002).
``(2) Determination.--A public housing agency or owner 
under this Act shall determine whether an individual meets the 
criteria for exemption from the work requirements established 
under this subsection.
``(3) Work activities.--Participation by an individual 
family member in the following activities shall be considered 
to fulfill minimum work requirements under paragraph (1), as 
determined by the public housing agency or owner:
``(A) Unsubsidized employment.
``(B) Subsidized private sector employment.
``(C) Subsidized public sector employment.
``(D) Work experience (including work associated 
with the refurbishing of publicly assisted housing) if 
sufficient private sector employment is not available.
``(E) On-the-job training.
``(F) Job search and job readiness assistance.
``(G) Community service programs.
``(H) Vocational educational training.
``(I) Job skills training directly related to 
employment.
``(J) Education directly related to employment, in 
the case of a recipient who has not received a high 
school diploma or a certificate of high school 
equivalency, or satisfactory attendance at secondary 
school or in a course of study leading to a certificate 
of general equivalence, in the case of a recipient who 
has not completed secondary school or received such a 
certificate.
``(K) The provision of child care services to an 
individual who is participating in a community service 
program.
``(4) Additional requirements.--A public housing agency or 
owner that establishes minimum work requirements for 
individuals or families under paragraph (1) shall--
``(A) offer supportive services to assist those 
individuals and families with obtaining employment or 
otherwise engaging in work activities described in 
paragraph (3);
``(B) maintain uniform minimum work requirements 
for all applicable tenants within a particular 
assistance program;
``(C) include the minimum work requirements 
policy--
``(i) in the case of assistance provided 
under section 9, in the admission and continued 
occupancy policy of the public housing agency; 
and
``(ii) in the case of assistance provided 
under section 8, in the administrative plan of 
the public housing agency and the tenant 
selection plan of the public housing agency or 
owner, as applicable;
``(D) make a copy of the minimum work requirements 
policy available to all applicants, tenants, and 
resident organizations, including--
``(i) to tenants at the time a new lease is 
executed and annually at the time of lease 
renewal; and
``(ii) written notice of the policy not 
later than 3 months before implementation of 
the policy; and
``(E) implement a written policy for determining 
when the work requirement constitutes a hardship for 
the assisted individual or family and allow for 
exceptions or exemptions from the work requirement if a 
hardship determination is made, which shall--
``(i) apply to--
``(I) work-eligible adults seeking 
a determination of disability status;
``(II) work-eligible adults who are 
temporarily relocated due to a 
disaster; and
``(III) work-eligible adults who 
are actively trying to comply with the 
work requirement but are having 
difficulty finding work or engaging in 
work activity; and
``(ii) include information on how to 
request a hearing for review of denied hardship 
requests.
``(5) Application.--The requirements under this section 
shall apply to--
``(A) in the case of public housing, tenant-based 
assistance, or project-based assistance, a public 
housing agency that is not in receivership or 
designated as a troubled performer under the public 
housing assessment system, the section 8 management 
assessment program, or the small rural public housing 
agency assessment; and
``(B) in the case of project-based assistance, an 
owner that is not in default of the rental assistance 
contract and has a current satisfactory management and 
occupancy review.
``(6) Enforcement.--
``(A) In general.--A public housing agency or owner 
that chooses to implement work requirements shall be 
responsible for verification and enforcement, which--
``(i) shall be performed not less 
frequently than annually; and
``(ii) may terminate program assistance to 
a covered family or family member to whom the 
work requirement policies apply, if the family 
member does not comply.
``(B) Requirements.--Any termination of assistance 
described in subparagraph (A)(ii) shall comply with the 
requirements of subpart L of part 982 of title 24, Code 
of Federal Regulations.''.
(b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by this section shall take 
effect on January 1, 2027.
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