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Committee on Ways and Means For Immediate Release Welfare Reform Countdown: 6 Days Until Expiration Senate poised to unravel monumental caseload decline WASHINGTON - With only six days until the expiration of Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF), the successful 1996 welfare reform program, the Democrat-led Senate has still not scheduled a vote for reauthorization. Since enacted in 1996, TANF has resulted in millions of families moving from welfare checks to paychecks. Since their peak in 1994, caseloads have dropped by 60 percent nationwide to their lowest levels since 1965. The number of recipients dependent on welfare has plummeted from 14 million to five million today. “These successes are unprecedented in American history; however, our work will not be complete until all families can achieve independence by moving off welfare and out of poverty,” said Wally Herger (R-CA), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Human Resources. Over four months ago, the House passed H.R. 4737, the Personal Responsibility, Work and Family Promotion Act of 2002, to reauthorize and make stronger the landmark 1996 TANF program. H.R. 4737 includes a generous system of work supports while promoting work to strengthen the path towards independence, and thus reduce caseloads by even greater amounts. “Families want to move off the rolls and out of poverty’s shadow. Recipients want independence from - not dependence on - welfare,” said Herger. “Let’s help give families what they want and need: freedom from welfare. The Senate must act in order to help others help themselves.” Temporary Assistance to Needy Families will expire on September 30, 2002. To find more information on the successful 1996 legislation, as well as what the House has done to continue to strengthen this program, please click on the link for a copy of the Welfare Resource Kit. |