Law
Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act
Overhauled welfare programs and imposed work requirements and time limits on benefits.
Year
1996
Impact
Mixed
Status
Active
Party
Democratic Party
Era
Contemporary Era
Impact Context
Reduced welfare rolls but increased economic vulnerability for some populations.
What This Policy Did
Reduced welfare rolls but increased economic vulnerability for some populations.
Share This Card
This page is meant to stand on its own. The link is stable and readable out of context.
Sources
Government
Administration for Children and Families • Government • Aug 22, 2022
Federal overview of TANF, the cash assistance structure created by the 1996 welfare reform law.
Center on Budget and Policy Priorities • Nonprofit • Aug 13, 2020
Policy analysis summarizing how welfare reform changed access to cash assistance and weakened parts of the safety net.
Administration for Children and Families • Government
Federal reference page for the 1996 welfare reform law.