The
continuing resolution on the federal budget being considered in
Congress this week includes a six month extension of the Temporary
Assistance for Needy Families program. Congress has debated a longer
term reauthorization of TANF for a number of years now but has not been
able to reach agreement and has been passing short term extensions in
the interim. This extension will keep the program intact under current
rules for six months with the hope that the next Congress, convening in
January, will reach agreement for the longer term.
In
a related development, the House of Representatives will likely pass a
resolution on Thursday expressing disapproval of the new TANF waiver
rules announced by the Obama Administration in July. This has become an
increasingly partisan issue in the Presidential election over the past
few weeks. Several Republicans including Mitt Romney have criticized the
new rules claiming they limit the work requirements to be eligible for
cash assistance, which President Obama and fellow Democrats deny. The
House leadership resolution is critical of the waiver rules but is not
expected to have any real effect since the Senate is not going to take
up the resolution.
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