US Code

Public Law 119-87 (04/30/2026)

42 U.S.C. § 301

Authorization of appropriations

For the purpose of enabling each State, as far as practicable under the conditions in such State, to furnish financial assistance to aged needy individuals, there is hereby authorized to be appropriated for each fiscal year a sum sufficient to carry out the purposes of this subchapter. The sums made available under this section shall be used for making payments to States which have submitted, and had approved by the Secretary of Health and Human Services (hereinafter referred to as the “Secretary”), State plans for old-age assistance.

Aug. 14, 1935, ch. 531 49 Stat. 620 Aug. 28, 1950, ch. 809 64 Stat. 558 Aug. 1, 1956, ch. 836 70 Stat. 848 Pub. L. 86–778, title VI, § 601(b)74 Stat. 987 Pub. L. 87–543, title I, § 104(c)(1)76 Stat. 185 Pub. L. 96–88, title V, § 509(b)93 Stat. 695 Pub. L. 97–35, title XXI, § 2184(a)(2)95 Stat. 816 (, title I, § 1, ; , title III, pt. 6, § 361(a), ; , title III, § 311(a), ; , , ; , , ; , , ; , , .)

Repeal of Section

Pub. L. 92–603, title III, § 303(a)86 Stat. 1484 , (b), , , provided that this section is repealed effective , except with respect to Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Virgin Islands.

Editorial Notes

Amendments

Pub. L. 97–351981— substituted “purpose of enabling” for “purpose (a) of enabling”, struck out provisions designated as cls. (b) and (c) which authorized appropriations for the purpose of enabling each State to furnish medical assistance to aged individuals who are not recipients of old-age assistance but whose income and resources are insufficient to meet the cost of necessary medical care and of encouraging each State to furnish rehabilitation and other services to individuals to attain and retain capability for self-care, and struck out “, or for medical assistance for the aged, or for old-age assistance and medical assistance for the aged” after “plans for old-age assistance”.

Pub. L. 87–5431962— amended first sentence generally, striking from cl. (a) provision relating to the purpose of encouraging each State, as far as practicable under the conditions in the State, to help aged needy individuals attain self-care, and adding cl. (c) incorporating the struck out provision.

Pub. L. 86–7781960— amended section generally, authorizing appropriations for the purpose of enabling each State, as far as practicable under the conditions in such State, to furnish medical assistance on behalf of aged individuals who are not recipients of old-age assistance but whose income and resources are insufficient to meet the costs of necessary medical services.

1956—Act , struck out specific appropriation for fiscal year ending , and inserted provisions relating to attainment of self-care by individuals.

1950—Act , § 361(a), substituted “Federal Security Administrator (hereinafter referred to as the ‘Administrator’)” for “Social Security Board established by subchapter I of this chapter (hereinafter referred to as the ‘Board’)”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Change of Name

section 509(b) of Pub. L. 96–88section 3508(b) of Title 20“Secretary of Health and Human Services” substituted in text for “Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare” pursuant to , which is classified to , Education.

Effective Date of 1960 Amendment

Pub. L. 86–778, title VI, § 60474 Stat. 992

section 1308 of this title“The amendments made by section 601 of this Act [amending this section and sections 302, 303, 304, and 306 of this title] shall take effect , and the amendments made by section 602 [amending ] shall be effective with respect to fiscal years ending after 1960.”
, , , provided that:

Short Title

section 1305 of this titleFor short title of this chapter and of amendments thereto, see and Short Title notes set out thereunder.

Declaration of Purpose of Title III of Act

Act Aug. 1, 1956, ch. 836, title III, § 300 70 Stat. 846

“It is the purpose of this title [enacting sections 906 and 1310 of this title and amending this section and sections 302, 303, 601, 602, 603, 606, 1201, 1202, 1203, 1301, 1308, 1351, 1352, and 1353 of this title] (a) to promote the health of the Nation by assisting States to extend and broaden their provisions for meeting the costs of medical care for persons eligible for public assistance by providing for separate matching of assistance expenditures for medical care, (b) to promote the well-being of the Nation by encouraging the States to place greater emphasis on helping to strengthen family life and helping needy families and individuals attain the maximum economic and personal independence of which they are capable, (c) to assist in improving the administration of public assistance programs (1) through making grants and contracts, and entering into jointly financed cooperative arrangements, for research or demonstration projects and (2) through Federal-State programs of grants to institutions and traineeships and fellowships so as to provide training of public welfare personnel, thereby securing more adequately trained personnel, and (d) to improve aid to dependent children.”
, , provided that:

Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Virgin Islands

Pub. L. 92–603, title III, § 303(b)86 Stat. 1484

“The amendments made by sections 301 [enacting sections 1381 to 1383c of this title] and 302 [enacting sections 801 to 805 of this title] and the repeals made by subsection (a) [repealing this section and sections 302 to 306, 1201 to 1206, and 1351 to 1355 of this title] shall not be applicable in the case of Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Virgin Islands.”
, , , provided that: