Welfare Related Research Links

TANF Reauthorization

The 1996 Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA) created the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant. Authorization for the TANF program ended in fall 2002. Since that time, TANF has been operating on short-term extensions. The most recent extension will expire on March 31, 2005. For the TANF program to continue, the United States Congress must pass legislation reauthorizing the program before that date. Although TANF reauthorization could simply involve extending the funding period, it is more likely that Congress and the President will work together to improve the legislation.

Currently, two TANF reauthorization proposals are being considered in Washington D.C. In February 2002, the Bush administration outlined its approach to welfare reauthorization, publishing "Working Toward Independence". Many of the President’s proposals for TANF reauthorization were incorporated in House Bill 4. The Senate introduced a mark-up of HR4, known as PRIDE (Personal Responsibility and Income Development for Everyone). The Senate Finance Committee passed the PRIDE bill in September 2003.

Center on Budget and Policy Priorities: a side-by-side comparison of current law, HR4, and PRIDE.

TANF Reauthorization Proposals

• President Bush’s TANF Reauthorization Proposal: “Working Toward Independence”
• Senate Finance Committee - Personal Responsibility and Individual Development for Everyone (PRIDE)

Welfare Reform Proposals

A comparison of specific provisions and work requirement provisions of current TANF law, PRIDE, and HR4 (as of 9/19/03)

Welfare Reform: Progress, Pitfalls, and Potential: a Heritage Foundation analysis of the implementation, pitfalls and prospects for welfare reform (as of 02/10/04)

The Senate Finance Committee's TANF Reauthorization Bill: The Center for Budget and Policy Priorities published the following analysis of PRIDE as it relates to HR4 on (05/14/04)

State Poverty Policies: The National Conference of State Legislatures recently dedicated its May/June 2004 issue to State poverty policies and issues.

Welfare Reform: The US Department of Health & Human Services' Administration for Children and Families maintains a webpage with several welfare-reform links.

University of Maryland: The University of Maryland School of Public Affairs has a Welfare Reform Academy. On March 23, 2004 they published Toughening TANF , which studied potential state-level reactions to impending welfare reforms.

The following sites also provide in-depth information on TANF reauthorization:

• Information For Decision Making
• Urban Institute
• The Brookings Institution

Federal Welfare-Related Legislation

ACF TANF Sixth Annual Report To Congress

Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (PRWORA)

State of Texas Welfare-Related Legistation

78th Legislative Session

HB 2292 -- Welfare Reform
Author: Wohlgemuth, Heflin
Effective: September 1, 2003

75th Legislative Session

HB 1863 -- Welfare Reform/Workforce Development
Author: Hildebran, Stiles, et al
Effective: September 1, 1995

Links Related to Texas Welfare Reform

The Texas Register serves as the notice bulletin of state agency rulemaking. The Texas Register contains emergency, proposed, and adopted rules; notices of withdrawn and repealed rules; notices of rule review and other information submitted by state agencies for publication.

The Texas Works Handbook contains information about the policies and procedures used to determine eligibility for Food Stamps, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and Medical Programs for Families and Children.