Welfare Reform/TANF Archive
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Off the Charts Blog: In Case You Missed It...
May 17, 2013
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The Value of TANF Cash Benefits Continued to Erode in 2012
March 28, 2013
Cash assistance benefits for the nation’s poorest families with children fell again in purchasing power in 2012 and are now at least 20 percent below their 1996 levels in 37 states, after adjusting for inflation. Unlike in 2011, when six states reduced the already-low benefits they provide through the Temporary Assistance for … -
TANF Emerging from the Downturn a Weaker Safety Net
March 1, 2013
Nationally, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), which provides basic assistance to families with little or no income, responded only modestly to the severe recession that began in December 2007, and the national TANF caseload began to decline in January 2011. State TANF caseloads varied widely in their responsiveness … -
TANF Emerging from the Downturn a Weaker Safety Net : State-By-State Fact Sheets
Updated March 1, 2013
Nationally, Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF), which provides basic assistance to families with little or no income, responded only modestly to the severe recession that began in December 2007, and the national TANF caseload began to decline in January 2011. State TANF caseloads varied widely in their responsiveness during the recession, … -
Changes in TANF Work Requirements Could Make Them More Effective in Promoting Employment
February 26, 2013
The complexity and rigidity of the work requirements in the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program can force states to design their TANF programs in ways that compromise, rather than promote, the goal of connecting parents to work. State TANF programs are built around an expectation of work, and many states have argued … -
Testimony of Robert Greenstein, President, Before Senate Budget Committee
February 13, 2013
I appreciate the invitation to testify today on the impact of federal budget decisions on families and communities. This is an important matter. As you know, the nation will have to make tough decisions to put the budget on a more sustainable fiscal course. The issue is not only whether policymakers act to secure adequate … -
Online Services for Key Low-Income Benefit Programs
Revised January 11, 2013
Virtually all states have made basic program information on the five main state-administered low-income benefit programs — SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly known as Food Stamps), Medicaid, CHIP (Children’s Health Insurance Program), TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families), and child care assistance … -
Coordinating Human Services Programs with Health Reform Implementation
Updated December 11, 2012
Executive Summary By making affordable health care available to millions of low-income, uninsured Americans, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) will go a long way towards helping families who struggle on a daily basis to afford life’s most basic necessities. Health care reform’s impact on low-income people’s lives, however, goes beyond … -
Policy Basics: An Introduction to TANF
Updated December 4, 2012
What Is TANF? Congress created the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant through the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996, as part of a federal effort to “end welfare as we know it.” TANF replaced Aid to Families with … -
Statement of Robert Greenstein, President, on Census’ 2011 Poverty, Income, and Health Insurance Data
September 12, 2012
Today’s Census data contained the good, the fair, and the ugly. The good news is that the number of uninsured Americans dropped by 1.3 million and the share of Americans without insurance fell by more than in any year since 1999; the fair news is that the poverty rate stayed flat after … -
Media Briefing: Examining the 2011 Census Data on Poverty, Health Insurance Coverage, and Income
September 12, 2012
The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities held a conference call briefing to examine the Census Bureau data for 2011 on poverty, health insurance coverage, and income trends.
Robert Greenstein, the Center’s President, was joined by Jared Bernstein, Senior Fellow, to discuss the new data.
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Key Steps to Improve Access to Free and Reduced-Price School Meals
September 6, 2012
The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) is a well-established federal program that provides school children with a nutritious lunch every school day. In recent years, free and reduced-price school breakfasts and lunches have been especially beneficial for children from low-income families that are struggling to afford nutritious food in … -
Chart Book: TANF at 16
Updated August 22, 2012
We have updated our chart book for the 16th anniversary of Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF), the program created by the 1996 welfare reform law to replace Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC). The chart book examines what the program is accomplishing, where it is falling short, and how policymakers could strengthen it. How Well … -
How States Have Spent Federal and State Funds Under the TANF Block Grant
August 7, 2012
Some policymakers have cited the replacement of the Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) program with the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant under the 1996 welfare law as a model for how to dramatically restructure other federally funded programs for low-income families. House Budget Committee Chairman … -
Testimony of Jared Bernstein, Senior Fellow, Before the Subcommittee on Human Resources of the Committee on Ways and Means on Work Disincentives and the Safety Net
June 27, 2012
Chairmen Davis and Tiberi and ranking members Rep. Doggett and Rep. Neal, I thank you for inviting me to testify on this important question of our safety net and tax benefit programs and their impact on work. My first point, however, is that I believe it is essential to broaden the question at the heart of this hearing. For policy makers to gain a full … -
Testimony of LaDonna Pavetti, Ph.D. Vice President, Family Income Support Policy, Before the House Ways and Means Committee, Subcommittee on Human Resources, Hearing on "State TANF Spending and its Impact on Work Requirements"
May 17, 2012
Good afternoon Chairman Davis, Ranking Member Doggett, and distinguished members of the Subcommittee. Thank you for inviting me to testify on the relationship between TANF State maintenance-of-effort (MOE) requirements and their interaction with work requirements. I am Vice President for Family Income Support Policy at the Center on … -
Eliminating Social Services Block Grant Would Weaken Services for Vulnerable Children, Adults, and Disabled
May 3, 2012
To help generate the savings required by the House-approved budget, the House Ways and Means Committee voted on April 18 to eliminate the Social Services Block Grant (SSBG), a uniquely flexible funding source that helps states meet the specialized needs of their most vulnerable populations, primarily low- and moderate-income children and people who are … -
Testimony: Robert Greenstein Before the House Budget Committee Hearing on Strengthening the Safety Net
April 17, 2012
Thank you for the invitation to testify today. I am Bob Greenstein, President of the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, a policy institute located here in Washington. I also served many years ago as Administrator of the Food and Nutrition Service at USDA, which operates the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, … -
Blog Post: Ryan Roundup, 2012: Everything You Need to Know About Chairman Ryan's Budget
March 23, 2012
Below is a compilation of the CBPP blog posts to date on House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan’s new budget. Check back here frequently, as we will update this list as we put out new material. http://bit.ly/RyanPosts Overview/General Greenstein Statement March 21, 2012 "The new Ryan budget is a … -
Blog Post: Greenstein on the Ryan Budget
March 21, 2012
We’ve issued a statement from Robert Greenstein on the budget from House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan. Here’s the opening: The new Ryan budget is a remarkable document — one that, for most of the past half-century, would have been outside the bounds of mainstream discussion due to its extreme nature. In essence, this budget is … -
TANF Weakening as a Safety Net For Poor Families
March 13, 2012
Many policymakers continue to claim that the 1996 welfare reform law which created the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program was a major success. They see the TANF program's design and block grant structure as a model for the reform of other safety net programs.[1] TANF's record over the last 15 years shows, however, that its role as … -
Contrary to "Entitlement Society" Rhetoric, Over Nine-Tenths of Entitlement Benefits Go to Elderly, Disabled, or Working Households
February 10, 2012
Some conservative critics of federal social programs, including leading presidential candidates, are sounding an alarm that the United States is rapidly becoming an “entitlement society” in which social programs are undermining the work ethic and creating a large class of Americans who prefer to depend on government benefits rather … -
General Assistance Programs: Safety Net Weakening Despite Increased Need
Updated December 19, 2011
State General Assistance programs, which provide a safety net of last resort for those who are very poor and do not qualify for other public assistance, have weakened considerably in recent decades and are continuing to do so, despite the large increase in need resulting from the recession. This report discusses how General Assistance Programs … -
TANF Benefits Fell Further in 2011 and Are Worth Much Less Than in 1996 in Most States
November 21, 2011
Cash assistance benefits for the nation's poorest families with children fell again in purchasing power in 2011 and are now at least 20 percent below their 1996 levels in 34 states, after adjusting for inflation. While most states froze benefit levels in 2011, six states and the District of Columbia cut them, reducing … -
Poverty and Financial Distress Would Have Been Substantially Worse in 2010 Without Government Action, New Census Data Show
November 7, 2011
Six temporary federal initiatives enacted in 2009 and 2010 to bolster the economy by lifting consumers’ incomes and purchases kept nearly 7 million Americans out of poverty in 2010, under an alternative measure of poverty that takes into account the impact of government benefit programs and taxes. These initiatives — three … -
Many States Cutting TANF Benefits Harshly Despite High Unemployment and Unprecedented Need
Updated October 3, 2011
In 2011, states implemented some of the harshest cuts in recent history for many of the nation's most vulnerable families with children who are receiving assistance through the federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant. The cuts affect 700,000 low-income families that include 1.3 million children; these families … -
Testimony: LaDonna Pavetti, Ph.D., Vice President, Family Income Support Policy, Hearing on “Improving Work and Other Welfare Reform Goals”
September 8, 2011
Thank you for the opportunity to testify today. TANF was created 15 years ago with a balanced approach in mind – that our nation's cash assistance system would be redesigned to create an expectation of work for able-bodied recipients and that a safety net would be maintained for parents who were unable to work due to a … -
TANF’s Inadequate Response to Recession Highlights Weakness of Block-Grant Structure
July 14, 2011
Leading conservatives in Congress – including House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan – as well as some conservative activists and commentators [1] have recently cited welfare reform and the TANF block-grant structure as a model for reshaping the federal-state funding relationship in other programs for low-income … -
Expiration of TANF Supplemental Grants a Further Sign of Weakening Federal Support for Welfare Reform
June 27, 2011
In a continued unraveling of the deal that Congress made with the states in enacting the 1996 welfare reform law, federal Supplemental Grants provided every year since 1996 to 17 states to augment their Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant will expire on July 1 (see Figure 1). These states include some of … -
Redesigning the TANF Contingency Fund to Make it More Effective
June 13, 2011
When Congress created the TANF block grant in 1996, it created the TANF Contingency Fund for states to draw upon during periods of economic distress. This fund was intended to address some of the risks and hardships states would face as a result of the conversion of the former Aid to Families with Dependent Children program — an … -
Earned Income Tax Credit Overpayment and Error Issues
Updated April 19, 2011
The federal Earned Income Tax Credit, a tax credit for low- and moderate-income working families, has been widely hailed for its success in increasing work and lowering welfare receipt, reducing poverty, and making the tax code fairer. (See the box below.) Census data indicate that the credit lifted 6.6 million individuals out of poverty in 2009, including more than 3 million children. The EITC lifts more children out of poverty than any other program.
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Testimony of LaDonna Pavetti, Ph.D. Vice President, Family Income Support Policy before the House Ways and Means Committee, Subcommittee on Human Resources
April 5, 2011
Thank you for the opportunity to testify today. In its recent report, “Opportunities to Reduce Potential Duplication in Government Programs, Save Tax Dollars, and Enhance Revenue,” the U.S. General Accountability Office (GAO) examined programs throughout the government with an eye towards identifying … -
Republican Study Committee Bill Would Require Deepest Cuts in Programs for the Poor in U.S. History
April 5, 2011
Legislation unveiled last month by the Republican Study Committee, the powerful caucus that includes 176 House Republican members, would require the most severe cuts in programs for the poor in the nation’s history. Introduced by RSC Chair Jim Jordan (R-OH), Tim Scott (R-SC), and RSC Budget and Spending Task Force Chair … -
Podcast: Improving the Delivery of Key Work Supports at this Critical Moment
March 8, 2011
Stacy Dean, Vice President for Food Assistance Policy, and Dottie Rosenbaum, Senior Analyst, discuss the Work Support Strategies Initiative and their report on improving the delivery of key services to needy families.
Duration: 8:36
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Improving the Delivery of Key Work Supports
February 24, 2011
For more than 15 years, federal and state governments have been working together in earnest to simplify enrollment in public benefit programs. Their work has been driven by the fact that the share of people who participate in public programs has not kept pace with the need; by a desire to make full use of the federal … -
Creating Subsidized Employment Opportunities for Low-Income Parents
February 16, 2011
Issued Jointly With Amidst the worst downturn since the Great Depression, Congress included the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Emergency Fund [1] in the 2009 Recovery Act to help states cover the costs of providing more assistance to low-income families suffering from the ill effects of the … -
TANF Responded Unevenly to Increase in Need During Downturn
(with state-by-state fact sheets)
January 25, 2011
Nationally, the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program, which provides basic assistance to low-income families with little or no income, has only been modestly responsive to the economic downturn. Using data collected directly from the states, [1] we estimate that between December 2007 and December 2009, TANF caseloads increased by just 13 percent, while … -
Despite Deep Recession and High Unemployment, Government Efforts — Including the Recovery Act — Prevented Poverty from Rising in 2009, New Census Data Show
January 5, 2011
Despite a deep recession, very high unemployment, and widespread hardship, a combination of existing safety net programs and temporary expansions in them enacted in 2009 all but prevented a rise in the poverty rate that year, according to a Center analysis of new poverty data the U.S. Census Bureau released this week that … -
Podcast: Rising Need, Falling Funding for TANF Program
December 21, 2010
Director of the Center’s Welfare Reform and Income Support Division, Dr. LaDonna Pavetti, talks about cuts to the safety net despite the rising need among our most vulnerable citizens.
Duration: 4:43
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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 … -
TANF Benefits Are Low and Have Not Kept Pace With Inflation
October 14, 2010
TANF cash assistance programs provide critical income support to some of the nation’s most vulnerable families with children. How well these programs do at protecting children from deep poverty and material deprivation depends on both the extent to which very poor families are actually enrolled in the program and the level of benefits … -
Podcast: Deep Poverty Reaches Record High Nationwide
October 12, 2010
Senior Researcher Arloc Sherman discusses “deep poverty,” and how it affects families.
Duration: 4:42
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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 … -
Media Briefing: Examining the New 2009 Census Data on Poverty, Income, and Health Insurance Coverage
September 16, 2010
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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 … -
Press Release: Minnesota Subsidized Jobs Program Will Be Scaled Back if U.S. Senate Fails to Extend TANF Emergency Fund
Updated September 7, 2010
Clarification: We have updated this press release to reflect the fact that the subsidized jobs program originally placed five paid interns with Permac Industries. The press release originally stated that Permac Industries hired them as employees. Minnesota will have to scale back a subsidized transitional jobs program that it has expanded significantly during … -
Press Release: Connecticut Will Be Unable to Expand Successful Jobs Programs if U.S. Senate Fails to Extend TANF Emergency Fund
September 2, 2010
A greatly expanded Connecticut subsidized employment program, which has provided jobs for over 6,000 low-income parents and youth, will never reach its full potential unless Congress this fall extends the federal program that funded it, according to a new report from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. The employment program uses federal dollars provided … -
Press Release: Ohio Counties Will Be Unable to Expand Successful Jobs Programs if U.S. Senate Fails to Extend TANF Emergency Fund
September 2, 2010
A new Ohio subsidized employment program, which has provided jobs for 1,500 parents in 44 Ohio counties and 8,000 youth in 69 counties, will never reach its full potential unless Congress this fall extends the federal program that funded it, according to a new report from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. The employment program uses federal dollars … -
Press Release: ‘Hire Colorado’ Jobs Program to End if U.S. Senate Fails to Extend TANF Emergency Fund
September 2, 2010
Hire Colorado, a new subsidized employment program that has provided jobs for 1,600 parents in counties across the state, will shut its doors on September 30 if Congress fails this month to extend the federal program that funded it, according to a new report from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. Most of the job placements for Hire Colorado are with … -
Press Release: South Carolina Will Be Unable to Continue Successful Jobs Program if U.S. Senate Fails to Extend TANF Emergency Fund
September 2, 2010
A new South Carolina subsidized employment program (known as the STEP program), which has provided jobs for 650 parents, will stop placing South Carolinians in jobs on September 30 unless Congress this fall extends the federal program that funded it, according to a new report from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. The STEP program uses federal dollars … -
Press Release: 12,000 Pennsylvania Jobs to Disappear on September 30 if U.S. Senate Fails to Extend TANF Emergency Fund
September 2, 2010
As many as 12,000 workers in Pennsylvania could lose their jobs this month if the Senate fails to extend federal funding that allowed the state to create Way to Work, a highly successful program that subsidizes private- and public-sector jobs for unemployed parents and youth, according to a new report from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. Way to Work … -
Press Release: 26,000 Illinois Jobs to Disappear on September 30 if U.S. Senate Fails to Extend TANF Emergency Fund
September 2, 2010
As many as 26,000 workers in Illinois could lose their jobs this month if the Senate fails to extend federal funding that allowed the state to create Put Illinois to Work, a highly successful program that subsidizes private- and public-sector jobs for unemployed parents and youth, according to a new report from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. Put … -
Walking Away From a Win-Win-Win
September 2, 2010
An emergency jobs program through which 37 states have provided subsidized jobs for nearly 250,000 otherwise unemployed parents and youth — helping families, businesses, and communities across America weather the recession — will end September 30 unless the Senate joins the House in voting to extend it. The TANF … -
Going, Going, Almost Gone: Job-Creating TANF Emergency Fund Set to Expire
July 26, 2010
The subsidized jobs programs that states have created through the TANF Emergency Fund are a bright spot in an economy that is producing new jobs at a very slow pace, but some of these programs have already stopped taking applications in anticipation of the fund’s September 30 expiration, and … -
Podcast: The Need for Extending the TANF Emergency Fund
July 20, 2010
Dr. LaDonna Pavetti, Director of the Center’s Welfare Reform and Income Support Division, discusses how states are using the TANF Emergency Fund to create jobs – and the need for extending the program.
Duration: 4:35
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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 … -
Extending the TANF Emergency Fund Would Create and Preserve Jobs Quickly and Efficiently
Updated April 6, 2010
The TANF Emergency Fund created by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) has enabled states to create subsidized jobs for TANF recipients and other low-income unemployed individuals and to bolster overall consumer demand by helping states meet the growing need for basic assistance among very poor families … -
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. … -
Testimony: LaDonna Pavetti, Director of Welfare Reform and Income Support, on the Impact of the Recession and the Recovery Act on Social Safety Net Programs
December 9, 2009
Thank you for the opportunity to testify today. My testimony will focus on four points: Poverty was high at the start of the recession and it is likely to remain high for an extended period. Some of the most effective measures to boost employment (and reduce poverty) in a weak economy have and will continue to be those that … -
Podcast: The Safety Net’s Response to the Recession
October 8, 2009
Director of the Center’s Welfare Reform and Income Support Division, Dr. LaDonna Pavetti, testifies on the safety net's response to the recession before the U.S. House of Representative's Ways and Means Subcommittee on Income Security and Family.
Duration: 10:55
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Testimony: LaDonna Pavetti, Director of Welfare Reform and Income Support, on the Safety Net’s Response to the Recession
October 8, 2009
Thank you for the opportunity to testify today. My testimony will focus on four points: With recent Census data showing increases in poverty and declines in incomes even before Americans began experiencing the worst effects of the recession — and with further deterioration expected in both areas — policymakers face a … -
Opportunities under the TANF Emergency Fund Created By the Federal Recovery Act
July 29, 2009
The TANF provisions in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 create a new and temporary TANF Emergency Fund available to states, territories, and tribes for federal fiscal years 2009 and 2010.[1] States can receive additional funding through the TANF Emergency Fund for increased expenditures in basic assistance, … -
Overview of the TANF Provisions in the Economic Recovery Act
February 26, 2009
The TANF provisions in section 2101 of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 create a new Emergency Contingency Fund under which states can receive 80 percent federal funding for increases (relative to a base year quarter) in certain TANF-related expenditures in federal fiscal years … -
Despite Critics' Over-Heated Rhetoric, the Economic Recovery Bill Does Not Undermine Welfare Reform
February 17, 2009
The economic recovery legislation provides additional resources to states where more poor families need basic assistance due to the recession and the states have responded by serving more families in their TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) programs. TANF is the welfare-reform block grant that the 1996 welfare law established to replace … -
Designing Solely State-Funded Programs
Revised January 8, 2009
In the wake of federal TANF changes, states face key choices as they decide the next direction for their Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) programs. In early 2006, Congress enacted changes to TANF in the Deficit Reduction Act (DRA) that effectively increase the proportion of assistance recipients that states must have … -
TANF Benefits Are Low and Have Not Kept Pace with Inflation
November 24, 2008
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Using TANF or MOE Funds to Provide Supplemental Assistance to Low-Income Working Families
Updated September 8, 2008
As states revisit their welfare reform approaches in the wake of the TANF changes in the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 (DRA), a number of states have implemented or are considering policies that expand support to low-income working families, particularly those transitioning into employment and off of basic TANF assistance programs. In most states, families lose eligibility for TANF cash … -
Summary of Final TANF Rules
February 20, 2008
The final TANF rule implementing changes due to the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 was published in the Federal Register on February 5, 2008 at 73 Fed. Reg. 6772. The new rule finalizes, with some changes, the Interim Final Rule published on June 29, 2006. The Final Rule is effective October 1, 2008. The Deficit Reduction Act (DRA) provided HHS with broad new … -
Changes in Federal TANF Rules Could Help States Meet Welfare Reform Goals
June 29, 2007
The Deficit Reduction Act (DRA), enacted in early 2006, reauthorized the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant. The effect of the DRA is to significantly increase the proportion of TANF recipients that states would be required to engage in a specified set of work activities for a federally-prescribed number of hours each week. The law also grants broad new … -
Georgia’s Increased TANF Work Participation Rate is Driven by Sharp Caseload Decline
March 6, 2007
Overview Georgia’s success at increasing its TANF work participation rate has been touted as a welfare reform model for other states as they seek ways to meet the new work participation requirements associated with the Deficit Reduction Act changes to the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant. An examination of available data on Georgia’s TANF program and … -
The New TANF Requirements and Individuals with Disabilities
March 1, 2007
The TANF provisions of the Deficit Reduction Act increase the effective TANF work participation rate — a measure of the proportion of TANF recipients engaged in federally countable work activities for a prescribed number of hours each week — states will be required to meet. States failing to meet these new standards are subject to … -
Implementing the TANF Changes in the Deficit Reduction Act
February 9, 2007
In the coming months, states will face key choices as they decide the next direction for their Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) programs. After a lengthy and contentious reauthorization process, Congress enacted changes to TANF in the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 (DRA) that substantially increase the proportion of assistance recipients who must … -
TANF at 10
August 17, 2006
The 1996 Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA) established the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant. Under TANF, states received fixed block grants and had broad flexibility to design their own rules for their cash assistance programs, and broad authority to use the block grant resources for other programs outside of cash assistance to assist … -
Analysis of New Interim Final TANF Rules
July 21, 2006
Introduction On June 29, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued regulations regarding the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program. These regulations define the activities that are countable toward the work participation rate requirements, describe how the states must monitor and verify the hours that TANF recipients participate, and add some categories of … -
Georgia’s Increased TANF Work Participation Rate is Driven by Sharp Caseload Decline-REDIRECT
July 17, 2006
This report has been updated. You will be redirected now. http://www.cbpp.org/3-6-07tanf.htm -
CBPP Statement on the New TANF Regulations Issued Today by the Department of Health and Human Services
June 28, 2006
Today the Department of Health and Human Services issued new regulations related to the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program. These new regulations are intended to provide specifics to states about how they will be measured against the new requirements placed on … -
Despite Inclusion of “Marriage-Promotion” Funding, Budget Bill Would Penalize States That Provide TANF Assistance to Poor Married Families
January 31, 2006
In December, the House and Senate each passed slightly different versions of the budget reconciliation conference agreement.[1] The bills include a set of provisions related to the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant, including significant changes in the work requirements that states and families must meet. These changes differ significantly from previous versions of TANF … -
Summary of TANF Work Participation Provisions in the Budget Reconciliation Bill
January 18, 2006
The budget reconciliation bill includes a set of provisions related to TANF and federal child care funding, including changes to TANF work participation rules.[1] This document provides a brief summary and a more detailed explanation of each change. In brief: Effective October 1, 2006, each state would be required to meet a 50 percent participation rate for all families … -
House Budget Reconciliation Bill Includes Highly Flawed TANF Provisions That Have Repeatedly Failed To Garner Support
Revised November 30, 2005
The budget reconciliation bill that the House passed on November 18, H.R. 4241, includes a set of controversial provisions related to the reauthorization of the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant and the child care block grant. The TANF and child care provisions in the House bill would impose … -
A Brief Guide to TANF Reauthorization Issues in 2005
Revised November 29, 2005
Congress has been debating reauthorization of the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program and changes to related programs, including child care and child support, since the program first came up for renewal in 2002. In March of this year, the Senate Finance Committee passed reauthorization legislation (S. 667) … -
House Reconciliation Bill Targets Key Low-Income Programs in Ways and Means Committee's Jurisdiction
October 25, 2005
The House of Representatives narrowly passed a budget “reconciliation” bill (H.R. 4241) on November 17 that included a package of cuts approved by the Ways and Means Committee on October 26. The budget resolution that passed in April required the Ways and Means Committee to cut programs under its jurisdiction by $1 billion over the next … -
Public Benefits: Easing Poverty and Ensuring Medical Coverage
Revised August 17, 2005
When individuals and families experience crises such as job loss, illness, disability, or divorce, they may face the prospect of falling into poverty (or becoming poorer) and losing health insurance coverage. Various government assistance programs are designed to lessen these hardships. These programs also provide support when families work but have low earnings and when … -
Press Release: What Does the Safety Net Accomplish?
July 19, 2005
Public benefit programs cut the number of poor Americans nearly in half (from 58 million to 31 million) and dramatically reduce the severity of poverty for those who remain poor, while providing health coverage to tens of millions of people who otherwise would be uninsured, according to a new report from the Center on Budget and Policy … -
Using the Internet to Facilitate Enrollment In Benefit Programs
Revised June 20, 2005
Over the last decade, internet technology has transformed many aspects of our society, including how people obtain information and conduct personal and professional transactions. It can also offer new ways for working families to learn about and enroll in benefit programs for which they may qualify. All states … -
Administration Housing Proposal Lays Groundwork for Planned Funding Reductions
May 9, 2005
An Administration proposal, recently introduced in Congress as the “State and Local Housing Flexibility Act,” would make fundamental changes to two of the nation’s primary low-income housing assistance programs — the housing choice voucher program and public housing. [1] The proposal would lay the groundwork for … -
State Policies to Assist Working-Poor Families
December 10, 2004
Introduction For a large and growing number of Americans, having a job is not enough to lift them out of poverty. This report presents a menu of practical policy options that states can adopt to help working-poor families meet their basic needs and improve their lives. The number of people in working-poor families has grown significantly in the last two decades. In 2003, 13.1 … -
Unemployment Insurance Does Not Explain Why TANF Caseloads Are Falling As Poverty and Need Are Rising
October 12, 2004
Between 2000 and 2003, the number and percentage of single mothers living in poverty increased while the percentage of single mothers with jobs fell. At the same time, poverty among children rose, and the number of children living below half of the poverty line increased by nearly one million. In response to this increase in … -
Statement: HHS Again Touts Decline In Welfare Caseloads Despite Recent Increase In Poverty
October 7, 2004
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced today that caseloads in the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program fell below 2 million during the first quarter of 2004. Echoing similar past press releases, Assistant Secretary Wade Horn claimed that “more … -
Recent Welfare Reform Research Findings
January 30, 2004
This paper summarizes some of the key research findings from recent welfare reform research — primarily research released in the last year — and discusses the policy implications of these findings. [1] Current TANF proposals that are pending in Congress would do little to address most of these challenges. When the Senate … -
Funding Issues in TANF Reauthorization
Revised February 5, 2002
Developed Jointly With The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 replaced the nation's basic cash assistance program for poor families with the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant. Since 1997, states have received $16.5 billion annually through the TANF block grant. … -
Immigrants and Welfare Reauthorization
Revised February 4, 2002
Developed Jointly With Until passage of the 1996 welfare law, legal immigrants were generally eligible for public benefits on the same basis as citizens. The welfare law conditioned eligibility on citizenship status rather than legal status, extending to most legal immigrants the eligibility restrictions that had …
