Overview of the Current System
Temporary Assistance for Needy Families
On August 22, 1996, The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (PRWORA) became law. This comprehensive, bipartisan legislation changed the Nation’s welfare system into one requiring work in exchange for time-limited assistance. It created the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program, which replaced the Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC), Emergency Assistance (EA), and Job Opportunities and Basic Skills (JOBS) programs. The law marks the end of Federal entitlement to assistance. In TANF, States and territories operate programs, and tribes have the option to run their own programs. States, territories, and tribes each receive a…
