Federal Policies
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Federal TANF Funding Shrinking While Need Remains High
December 15, 2010
With unemployment high and millions of families in need, for the first time since 1996 when President Clinton and Congress created the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant as part of welfare reform, no additional TANF funds are available from the federal government to help states respond to the large … -
Census Data Show Large Jump in Poverty and the Ranks of the Uninsured in 2009
September 17, 2010
Several points stand out from the data on income, poverty, and health insurance that the Census Bureau released on September 16: Poverty rose by a large amount in 2009, as 3.7 million more people fell into poverty. The number and percentage of Americans in poverty rose substantially, driven by deep job losses and record levels of … -
Statement: Robert Greenstein, Executive Director, on Census’ 2009 Poverty and Health Insurance Data
September 16, 2010
The Census Bureau data for 2009 reflect the severity of the recent recession, as poverty rose sharply and the number of uninsured spiked. The new figures somewhat overstate the rise in poverty, however, because they do not count the bulk of direct assistance that the 2009 Recovery Act provided to … -
Thousands of Poor Refugees Face Loss of SSI Benefits
September 15, 2010
On October 1, up to 5,600 poor refugees and other poor individuals admitted to the United States because they faced persecution in their home countries will lose badly needed benefits from the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program, when a temporary provision of law expires. Over the next 13 months, up to 11,000 such individuals will have … -
Using TANF Emergency Funds to Help Prevent and Address Family Homelessness
July 13, 2010
At least 15 states are using federal stimulus dollars provided through the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Emergency Fund to assist the growing number of needy families that are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless because of the recession. The number of homeless families has increased for each of the last two years and the … -
Using TANF Emergency Funds to Provide Food Assistance to Struggling Families
June 18, 2010
States can use federal stimulus dollars provided through the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Emergency Fund to provide emergency food assistance to needy families through food banks, agencies, or other distribution sites, or to supplement USDA’s Summer Food Service Programs. This additional help is critically needed: the … -
“YouCut” Vote Mischaracterizes TANF Emergency Fund
May 20, 2010
The description of the TANF Emergency Fund on the House Republicans’ “YouCut” website is fundamentally inaccurate, so the vote by respondents to eliminate the program is essentially meaningless. Despite what the website suggests, the Fund reflects the main tenets that federal … -
Budgetary Concerns Should Not Be An Obstacle to Passing the New Jobs Bill
Revised May 20, 2010
Congress is about to take up a jobs bill that will provide a needed boost to the economic recovery and help people still struggling to find work in a difficult labor market. Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus and House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Sander Levin today released a summary of … -
TANF Emergency Fund Extension Has Wide Support
May 3, 2010
With the TANF Emergency Fund slated to expire on September 30, public officials and private experts are calling for its extension as part of jobs legislation because it is an important tool to help put Americans back to work. These key individuals include: Mark Zandi, Chief Economist at Moody’s Analytics; Karen Lee, President … -
The Food Stamp Dependent Care Deduction
March 23, 2010
The Food Stamp Program targets benefits according to need. It does this by limiting eligibility to low-income households and by assessing the ability of individual households to purchase food. Households can deduct certain critical expenses from their income. This results in higher benefits, reflecting the fact that these households have … -
Extending TANF Emergency Fund Would Help Small Businesses Recover from Recession
March 23, 2010
A provision now added to the small business jobs bill the House is expected to vote on later this week would extend the TANF Emergency Fund, which is set to expire September 30. This provision would help create and preserve jobs, support small businesses, and strengthen overall demand. [1] The Emergency Fund, included in last … -
With 100,000 Newly Created Subsidized Jobs at Stake, It’s Critical to Extend and Expand TANF Emergency Fund as Part of New Jobs Bill
February 26, 2010
The Senate should include President Obama’s proposal to extend for one year and modestly expand the TANF Emergency Fund in the bill it is crafting to respond to historically high unemployment and weak consumer demand. If the Senate fails to include this measure, a program that is providing many unemployed, low-income parents with … -
Creating a Safety Net That Works When the Economy Doesn’t: The Role of the Food Stamp and TANF Programs
February 25, 2010
The Food Stamp Program[1] and the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program have responded very differently to the unprecedented challenges that the current recession, with its high levels of unemployment and rapidly changing economic circumstances, has posed to the nation’s safety net. The Food Stamp Program, a federal … -
Extending TANF Emergency Fund Meets CBO Criteria for Effective Policies to Increase Employment
February 22, 2010
As Congress considers actions to create jobs and boost the economy, one of the most effective steps it could take — on a “bang-for-the-buck” basis — would be to extend and modestly expand the TANF Emergency Fund, set to expire September 30. This fund, created by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, is creating jobs at a very low cost. …
