LEGISLATION AND POLICY
This Legislation page presents Federal laws and guidelines to States for implementing their welfare programs and services. Welfare-related links have been separated into the following categories: Federal Laws and Welfare Policy Guidance. Each link listed below provides the organization's name and the web site address for the respective Web site.
Federal Laws
This section provides links to Federal legislation regarding welfare and welfare provisions.
Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Final Rule, February 2008
New regulations to strengthen welfare reform were published February 5, 2008 in the Federal Register. The changes to the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program will help move individuals off of the welfare rolls and into the workplace by giving states the flexibility to design their own effective welfare-to-work initiatives.
For more information, please see: http://www.acf.hhs.gov/news/press/2008/final_welfare_reform.html
Deficit Reduction Act of 2005
TANF Interim Final Rule
For more information on TANF Reauthorization, please see: http://peerta.acf.hhs.gov/reauthorization/index.cfm
Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (PRWORA)
Welfare to Work
Workforce Investment Act (WIA)
Welfare Policy Guidance
This section provides links to TANF related resources, such as State guidelines and other fundamental welfare information.
TANF Seventh Annual Report to Congress, December 2006
Charitable Choice Provisions Applicable to the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Program
http://www.hhs.gov/fbci/finalTANF_ccregs.pdf
See the
Administration for Children and Families' Office of Family Assistance page for the latest legal and policy related guidance and status documents
http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ofa
See the
Administration for Children and Families' Welfare Reform page for the latest policy guidance and news
http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ofa/welfare/
See the
Administration for Children and Families, Office of Community Services, Division of Tribal Services Web site for the latest legal and policy related documents on Tribal TANF
http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/dts/
Final TANF Rules
Department of Labor Notice: Resource Sharing for Workforce Investment Act One-Stop Centers: Methodologies for Paying or Funding Each Partner Program's Fair Share of Allocable One-Stop Costs
(PDF 326KB)
Helping People Achieve Self-Sufficiency: A Guide on Funding Services for Children and Families through the TANF Program
Other Related Policy Guidance
The Administration for Children and Families’ Information on Legislation:
Fact Sheet: TANF Interim Final Regulations
Fact Sheet: TANF Work Activities
Fact Sheet: Deficit Reduction Act of 2005
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c104:H.R.3734.ENR:
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c105:H.R.2015.ENR:
http://www.usdoj.gov/crt/508/508law.html
The TANF Seventh Annual Report to Congress has been published, reporting on FY 2003. Since the enactment of TANF, millions of families have avoided dependence on welfare by achieving stable employment. Employment among low-income single mothers has increased significantly since 1996, and child poverty rates have declined.
To access the report, please see: http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ofa/annualreport7/ar7index.htm
To access previous reports to Congress, please see: http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ofa/indexar.htm
http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ofa/finalru.htm
http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/
http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ofa/funds2.htm
The Administration for Children and Families’ Guidance on Welfare and Low-Income Assistance Policy: