Economic Mobility, Prosperity, and Opportunity with Waivers that Enable Reforms for States Act of 2017 or the EMPOWERS Act of 2017
This bill establishes the Interagency Board for Empowering Low-Income Families and allows a governor to apply to the board for a four-year waiver from certain federal assistance program requirements. Specifically, under such a waiver, the governor's state may consolidate, replace, or alter eligibility requirements for two or more specified federal assistance programs related to nutrition, housing, income, foster care and adoption, and other social and community services. The board must evaluate waiver applications on the basis of whether a proposed project promotes employment, family stability, and financial literacy and savings with respect to program participants. Specified provisions are excluded from waiver authority.
The bill specifies waiver application requirements, deadlines and processes for review of applications, and limitations on project funding.