SEC-553 -- ASSISTANCE TO PROMOTE FAMILY UNIFICATION. 

 
 Section 8 of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437f)
is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:
 
 "(x) Family Unification.-
 
 "(1) Increase in budget authority.-The budget authority available
under section 5(c) for assistance under section 8(b) is authorized to
be increased by $35,000,000 on or after October 1, 1990, by $35,000,000
on or after October 1, 1991.
 
 "(2) Use of funds.-The amounts made available under this subsection
shall be used only in connection with housing certificate assistance
under section 8 on behalf of any family (A) who is otherwise eligible
for such assistance, and (B) who the public child welfare agency for the
jurisdiction has certified is a family for whom the lack of adequate
housing is a primary factor in the imminent placement of the family's
child or children in out-of-home care or the delayed discharge of a
child or children to the family from out-of-home care.
 
 "(3) Allocation.-The amounts made available under this subsection
shall be allocated by the Secretary through a national competition among
applicants based on demonstrated need for the assistance under this
subsection. To be considered for assistance, an applicant shall submit
to the Secretary a written proposal containing a report from the public
child welfare agency serving the jurisdiction of the applicant that
describes how a lack of adequate housing in the jurisdiction is
resulting in the initial or prolonged separation of children from their
families, and how the applicant will coordinate with the public child
welfare agency to identify eligible families and provide the families
with assistance under this subsection.
 
 "(4) Definitions.-For purposes of this subsection:
 
 "(A) Applicant.-The term `applicant' means a public housing agency or
any other agency responsible for administering assistance under section
8.
 
 "(B) Public child welfare agency.-The term `public child welfare
agency' means the public agency responsible under applicable State law
for determining that a child is at imminent risk of placement in
out-of-home care or that a child in out-of-home care under the
supervision of the public agency may be returned to his or her
family.".