On December 20, the House approved, 215-209, the Spending Reduction Act (H.R. 6684).
Sponsored by Rep. Eric Cantor (R-VA), the measure would update the Sequester Replacement Reconciliation Act (H.R. 5652) and repeal provisions of the Budget Control Act (P.L. 112-25) to cut spending by about $119.4 billion and raise $98.2 billion in revenue over ten years.
Specifically, the bill would eliminate state bonuses for effective administration of state Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) programs and reduce funding for employment and training programs from $90 million to $79 million in FY2013.
The bill would extend the authorization for the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (P.L. 110-246) through 2013 and restrict categorical eligibility for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to those who receive cash benefits.
With regard to health care, the legislation would repeal the Prevention and Public Health Fund, as well as funding for states to establish health insurance exchanges as enacted by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (P.L. 111-148). The bill also would repeal the maintenance of effort requirements within the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) (P.L. 110-173) that prohibit reductions in eligibility levels for the program.
The measure would require individuals claiming the child tax credit to include their Social Security numbers on their tax returns.
The bill also would repeal, effective October 1, 2012, the Social Services Block Grant program.
