Husted hosts roundtable to discuss welfare reform, ending the benefits cliff

“My work in the Senate is laser-focused on helping more Ohioans achieve their version of the American Dream.”

COLUMBUS, OH – Sen. Jon Husted (R-Ohio) today held a roundtable with business, nonprofit and government leaders from across Ohio to discuss strategies to help people move off of government assistance and provide them a pathway into the middle class. During the event, Husted heard from participants about how hisUpward Mobility Actwould directly benefit job creators and workers in the state.
“My work in the Senate is laser-focused on helping more Ohioans achieve their version of the American Dream. I spoke with workers who want to accept raises and employers who want to give them, but they can’t because it means a complete loss in federal benefits. I am leading the Upward Mobility Act because I truly believe it is our greatest opportunity to deliver for the lowest income earners, give more families a chance at prosperity and drastically grow our workforce,”said Husted.
Husted introduced the Upward Mobility Act in January. The bill seeks to reform federal public assistance programs, end the benefits cliff and incentivize career growth. A benefits cliff occurs when Americans receiving federal public assistance experience a significant or complete loss of federal resources after a small increase in income. Americans receiving benefits may earn a raise or work more hours, but instead of increasing their total earnings, they end up worse off because their federal assistance drops sharply.
The Upward Mobility Act would create a five-year pilot program for five states to combine funding from multiple federal anti-poverty programs into a single funding stream to eliminate benefits cliffs. States would be free to utilize savings from administrative streamlining, reduced bureaucracy, as well as resources from non-profit and private sectors, to design and invest in programs that prevent benefits cliffs, while providing for the immediate needs of vulnerable populations.
Governor Mike DeWine (R-Ohio) already committed to volunteer Ohio as one of the pilot states.
Full text of the bill is availablehere.
One-pager on the bill is availablehere.
Husted’s op-ed on the bill is availablehere.