January 30, 2026
WASHINGTON – Sen. Jon Husted (R-Ohio) today announced growing support for the Upward Mobility Act, a landmark bill he introduced on Jan. 6, 2026, to reform federal benefits by ending the benefits cliff and incentivizing 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. Husted’s legislation seeks to eliminate the cliff and provide Americans a pathway out of poverty and into the middle class.
Husted unveiled a list of the bill’s backers when he introduced the proposal. Additional supporting statements from community leaders can be seen below, in addition to media coverage of the effort.
From community leaders:
“The Upward Mobility Act hits directly at one of the biggest barriers we see every day at Impacting Tomorrow. Families are trying to do the right things, take on more hours, and move forward, but the benefits cliff punishes progress. It creates fear, instability, and a real hesitation to take steps that should lead to long-term independence. The pilot structure you outlined makes sense. Giving states the flexibility to braid funding, remove duplicative rules, and design systems that support upward mobility instead of trapping families is a meaningful step. The alignment with case management, community partners, and outcome-based evaluation is exactly what we need more of. From our side, the Act connects well with what we’re seeing on the ground. We’re serving roughly 810 people a day now across Market, CarryHer, Boutique, Pediatric OT, and Medical/Dental services. A significant number of families talk about the cliff as a real threat to their stability. Any policy that helps remove that fear while supporting higher earnings and self-sufficiency will have an immediate impact,” said Ken Tracy, Founder & CEO, Impacting Tomorrow.
“From an employer’s perspective, this legislation would have a meaningful impact. The benefits cliff frequently force employees to turn down overtime, promotions, or wage increases, not because of a lack of motivation, but because the system penalizes progress. By enabling states to smooth benefit transitions and reinvest savings into smarter case management, health coverage alignment, and workforce supports, the Upward Mobility Act creates an environment where individuals can advance without risking food security or health care access,” said Jacqueline D. Cooley, Leader of Learning & Development, JBM Packaging.
“Over the past five years, we have repeatedly seen graduates decline or walk away from skilled trade job offers—not due to lack of interest or ability, but because entry-level wages are often outweighed by the short-term financial support provided through government benefits. This dynamic creates a meaningful gap between the long-term value of starting a skilled trade career and the immediate financial realities individuals face. While these roles offer strong income growth within one to two years, many candidates simply cannot afford the initial transition period, making the upfront investment untenable despite the clear long-term upside,” said Josh Guttman, Co-Founder, The Kable Group/Kable Academy.
“On behalf of the BCW/Workforce Development Board (BCW/Workforce), I am writing to express our strong support for the Upward Mobility Act. This legislation represents a thoughtful, innovative approach to addressing one of the most persistent challenges facing low-income individuals and working families—the benefits cliff that discourages career advancement and long-term self-sufficiency,” said Becky Ehling, Executive Director, BCW Workforce.
“On behalf of the Greater Springfield Partnership (GSP), we write to express our strong support for your Upward Mobility Act and to commend your leadership in addressing one of the most significant and persistent barriers to economic advancement: the benefits cliff. By allowing states to voluntarily combine funding from multiple federal anti-poverty programs into a single, flexible pilot structure, the Act creates an opportunity to eliminate benefits cliffs while maintaining accountability and fiscal discipline. The emphasis on rewarding work, aligning incentives, and supporting upward mobility closely mirrors the recommendations that emerged from our local research and employer engagement. From an economic development perspective, addressing benefits cliffs is essential to strengthening workforce participation, increasing labor force attachment, and ensuring that economic growth translates into improved quality of life for working families. The Upward Mobility Act offers a practical, bipartisan, and data-driven framework to advance these goals,” said Horton H. Hobbs IV, Vice President of Economic Development, Greater Springfield Partnership.
“We, at United Way of Greater Cleveland, are in daily conversation with hardworking families that need our help to triage and curate the overwhelming web of programs just to stay afloat. We applaud Senator Husted for advancing the Upward Mobility Act, which recognizes that real progress requires fixing antiquated, overly complex systems, not the people working hard within them. By aligning benefits and streamlining access, this legislation offers a more dignified, efficient, and empowering path forward, reducing burdens for families and the state while helping more people build lasting financial stability,” said Sharon Sobol Jordan, President & Chief Executive Officer, United Way of Greater Cleveland.
“The Community Bankers Association of Ohio applauds Senator Husted for his leadership on the Upward Mobility Act. Community banks serve families and small businesses in every corner of Ohio, and we know that financial stability begins with opportunity. By addressing the benefits cliff and encouraging upward mobility, this legislation supports the same values community banks stand for—empowering individuals, strengthening families, and helping more Ohioans achieve long-term financial independence,” said Aza H. Bittinger Jr., President & CEO, Community Bankers Association of Ohio.
“Eliminating the benefits cliffs is not just a moral imperative—it’s an economic one. When workers hesitate to accept raises or promotions because they fear losing essential benefits, productivity suffers, and businesses could lose talent. The Upward Mobility Act offers a smart, flexible solution that empowers states to innovate, helps families achieve financial independence, and strengthens our workforce. The Greater Akron Chamber and Canton Regional Chamber support this legislation because it will help foster upward mobility and economic growth,” said John Rizzo, Vice President, Akron-Canton Advocacy Alliance.
“The benefits cliff is a real challenge, and without thoughtful solutions, it can limit job retention and mobility for some of our most vulnerable residents. We appreciate that U.S. Sen. Jon Husted is taking steps to address this at a time when employers across our region face significant challenges in attracting and keeping talent. In today’s hiring climate, every potential worker matters,” said Lyle Huffman, Executive Vice President, Government Affairs & Community Impact at the Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber.
“We firmly believe that the Upward Mobility Act is necessary to building a first-class American Workforce. It will give states the ability to create viable pathways for both work and education; it will create pathways for public/private projects that accelerate innovation; and it will give millions of Americans viable pathways to achieve their own American Dream,” said Montez King, Executive Director of the National Institute for Metalworking Skills.
“Family Resource Centers are a proven, community-based way to help Ohioans move from crisis to stability and into long-term economic mobility. By aligning public, private and philanthropic partners, centers like the Wickliffe Family Resource Center help working families keep the supports they rely on while they work more, earn more and build a better future. We strongly support the Upward Mobility Act and other common-sense policies that remove benefit cliffs and make it easier for families to advance without falling behind,” said Julie Ramos and Joseph Spiccia, Wickliffe Family Resource Center.
“The Wayne Economic Development Council strongly supports Senator Husted’s Upward Mobility Act, which represents a bold and necessary step toward helping families achieve long-term economic stability. By allowing states to streamline federal anti-poverty programs and eliminate benefit cliffs, this legislation empowers individuals to pursue higher earnings without fear of losing essential support,” said Maribeth Burns, Wayne Economic Development Council.
“By consolidating funding streams and granting states flexibility to design benefit structures that limit marginal effective tax rates, the Act directly addresses one of the most significant challenges facing workers with low incomes: the benefit cliff. Too often, individuals are forced to choose between advancing in the workforce and maintaining essential supports. This legislation creates a pathway for states to remove those disincentives and align public assistance with employment and earnings growth,” said Tianay Amat, President and CEO, Cincinnati Works.
“In our daily work, we see firsthand how benefits cliffs discourage raises, promotions, and additional hours—ultimately limiting both economic mobility for families and workforce stability for employers. Addressing this issue is essential to ensuring that work truly pays, and that Ohioans can pursue advancement without fear of sudden financial setbacks. The Upward Mobility Act offers a thoughtful, practical solution. By giving states the flexibility to align and modernize anti-poverty programs, reduce bureaucracy, and design benefit structures that reward work and advancement, this legislation empowers people to pursue higher earnings without fear of losing critical support overnight,” said Dan Meyer, Founder and CEO, Nehemiah Manufacturing Company.
“In working with over 25,000 people each year in West Central & Southern Ohio, we know first-hand the challenges faced by people in poverty as they work toward a better future for themselves and their families. The Upward Mobility Act takes a strong positive step in promoting upward mobility for families in poverty, for increasing the earnings of low-income families, for reducing government dependence, and for eliminating the benefits cliff. We strongly support this important legislation,” Lance Detrick, President and CEO, Goodwill Easterseals of the Miami Valley.
“A small pay increase combined with losing a public benefit means their out-of-pocket expenses increase and they fall further behind than if they did not earn a pay raise. This “benefits cliff” causes workers to turn down raises and promotions to avoid the cliff, keeping them trapped at their current low wage and supported by public assistance. Businesses then struggle to fill open positions and retain workers, and taxpayers lose by funding a public benefits system that traps Ohioans in poverty, rather than supporting growth towards economic stability. The Workforce Council of Southwest Ohio, which serves residents in Hamilton County, appreciates Senator Husted’s leadership in addressing the benefits cliff through the Upward Mobility Act,” said Beth Yoke, Executive Director, Workforce Council of Southwest Ohio.
“Omega Community Development Corporation supports efforts to eliminate the benefits cliff and strengthen pathways to economic stability for families. In Northwest Dayton, we see how fragmented systems and sudden benefit losses can undermine residents working to move forward, toward self-sufficiency. Poverty is not a failure of effort; it is often a failure of systems. We believe meaningful progress requires collaboration across federal, state, and place-based partners. Omega CDC welcomes the opportunity to be part of these discussions to help ensure economic advancement supports long-term family stability and upward mobility,” said Rachel Ward, President, Omega Community Development Corporation.
“Over the past five years, we have repeatedly seen graduates decline or walk away from skilled trade job offers—not due to lack of interest or ability, but because entry-level wages are often outweighed by the short-term financial support provided through government benefits. This dynamic creates a meaningful gap between the long-term value of starting a skilled trade career and the immediate financial realities individuals face. While these roles offer strong income growth within one to two years, many candidates simply cannot afford the initial transition period, making the upfront investment untenable despite the clear long-term upside,” said Josh Gutman, Co-Founder, The Kable Group/Kable Academy (Cincinnati, OH).
Upward Mobility Act in the news:
“The Alliance for Opportunity applauds Senator Husted for drawing attention to our currently broken safety net and the urgent need to make changes to the system…The nation needs a safety net that recognizes the inherent dignity, potential, and purpose of every person, and the Upward Mobility Act lays the groundwork to make that possible.” – Alliance for Opportunity.
Read more here.
“Recent scandals in Minnesota have spotlighted billions of dollars lost to welfare fraud across multiple food, health, and childcare programs. Yet even when not being actively ripped off, those programs can still unintentionally yield negative outcomes, such as when they discourage work and keep families trapped in government programs for too long. That’s the message of a new Senate bill introduced this week by Sen. Jon Husted (R-OH) and matching House legislation offered by Rep. Blake Moore (R-UT). Their ‘Upward Mobility Act’ encourages states to test reforms addressing benefit cliffs and other impediments to recipients’ working and earning more.” – American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research.
Read more here.
“Mr. Husted’s 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. Mr. Husted said he is still gauging interest to determine what those five states might be.” – The Toledo Blade.
Read more here.
“Working families who are supported by federal benefits can sometimes find themselves in a difficult spot when a potential promotion or raise at work is not cause for celebration, but sparks worries about falling off the benefits cliff. Those receiving federal public assistance can see a complete loss of federal resources after even a small increase in income. But the Upward Mobility Act, introduced by U.S. Sen. Jon Husted, R-Ohio, is meant to change that. Better still, it would help streamline some of the bureaucracy that feeds off such programs.” – Salem News.
Read more here.
“A benefits cliff happens when a person receiving government assistance earns slightly more money, but then faces a significant or complete loss in public benefits. In turn, receiving a raise or working more hours can actually set them back financially. The issue keeps workers from pursuing job promotions or working more hours, said Senator Jon Husted of Ohio, a Republican who introduced the ‘Upward Mobility Act’ in the U.S. Senate this week. Congressman Blake Moore also introduced companion legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives.” – WLWT NBC News 5.
Read more here.
“U.S. Sen. Jon Husted introduced legislation Tuesday aimed at addressing a paradox in the federal safety net: Americans who work more hours or earn a raise can end up worse off financially because they lose access to public assistance.” – Cleveland.com.
Read more here.