Interpretation of "Federal Means-Tested Public Benefit" in the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996

(Slip Opinion) Interpretation of “Federal Means-Tested Public Benefit” in the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 This Office concluded in 1997 that the phrase “Federal means-tested public benefit,” as used in the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996, could permissibly be read to include only benefits administered under manda- tory (but not discretionary) federal spending programs. We therefore deferred to two agencies’ interpretation under the Chevron framework. Having been asked to recon- sider in view of Loper Bright…