Congressional Research Service Reports - 255 Matching Results

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The Administration's Family Assistance Plan: Brief Analysis of Selected Issues Related to Work Incentives
This report discusses President Nixon's 1970 Family Assistance Plan for welfare reform and specifically focuses on issues related to whether the new plan would make working more attractive than welfare.
Child Welfare: An Overview of Federal Programs and Their Current Funding
This report begins with a review of federal appropriations activity in FY2014 as it relates to child welfare programs, including the effect of the automatic spending cuts, known as sequestration. The report provides a short description of each federal child welfare program, including its purpose and recent (FY2012-FY2014) funding levels.
The Welfare System and Welfare Reform: An Annotated Bibliography
This report is a bibliography compiled to explain the welfare system in the United States at the time of creation.
Poverty in the United States: 2009
This report discusses the state of poverty in the United States, including how poverty is measured, selected poverty-related demographics, and certain federal aid efforts to those who are impoverished.
Poverty in the United States: 2009
This report discusses the state of poverty in the United States, including how poverty is measured, selected poverty-related demographics, and certain federal aid efforts to those who are impoverished.
TANF Reauthorization: Side-by-Side Comparison of Current Law, S. 667, and H.R. 240 (TANF Provisions)
This report discusses the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) re-authorization, and the debate over authorization for TANF and related programs.
Federal Benefits and Services for People with Low Income: Overview of Spending Trends, FY2008-FY2015
This report is the most recent in a series that attempts to identify and discuss programs that provide federal benefits and services targeted toward low-income populations, focusing on aggregate spending trends. The report looks at federal low-income spending from FY2008 (at the onset of the 2007-2009 recession) through FY2015 (after implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, or ACA).
The Welfare System and Welfare Reform, An Annotated Bibliography
This report is a bibliography created to explain present systems and changes in the realm of welfare and public assistance in the United States.
Guaranteed Income Proposals: Some Pro and Con Arguments
This report discusses pros and cons of guaranteed income proposals.
Welfare Reauthorization: An Overview of the Issues
In February 2002, the Administration proposed its welfare reauthorization plan. The debate was dominated by controversy over the amount of child care funding and the Administration's proposed changes to Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) work participation standards. The final agreement reflects the same child care funding increase that was provided in House-passed welfare reauthorization measures in 2002 and 2003 ($1 billion in additional mandatory child care funding over five years). The 2005 Senate Finance Committee welfare reauthorization bill would have provided $6 billion in additional child care funding over five years. Though the final agreement would require states to increase the share of their families participating in TANF work activities, it does not include the Administration's proposal to set a 40-hour workweek standard or revise the activities that count toward the standard. The reauthorization debate also reflected a renewed focus on noncustodial parents and on family formation issues. The budget agreement includes responsible fatherhood initiatives and a scaled back version of the President's initiative to promote healthy marriages.
Welfare Reauthorization: Overview of the Issues
In February 2002, the Administration proposed its welfare reauthorization plan. The debate was dominated by controversy over the amount of child care funding and the Administration's proposed changes to Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) work participation standards. The final agreement reflects the same child care funding increase that was provided in House-passed welfare reauthorization measures in 2002 and 2003 ($1 billion in additional mandatory child care funding over five years). The 2005 Senate Finance Committee welfare reauthorization bill would have provided $6 billion in additional child care funding over five years. Though the final agreement would require states to increase the share of their families participating in TANF work activities, it does not include the Administration's proposal to set a 40-hour workweek standard or revise the activities that count toward the standard. The reauthorization debate also reflected a renewed focus on noncustodial parents and on family formation issues. The budget agreement includes responsible fatherhood initiatives and a scaled back version of the President's initiative to promote healthy marriages.
Welfare Reauthorization: An Overview of the Issues
In February 2002, the Administration proposed its welfare reauthorization plan. The debate was dominated by controversy over the amount of child care funding and the Administration's proposed changes to Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) work participation standards. The final agreement reflects the same child care funding increase that was provided in House-passed welfare reauthorization measures in 2002 and 2003 ($1 billion in additional mandatory child care funding over five years). The 2005 Senate Finance Committee welfare reauthorization bill would have provided $6 billion in additional child care funding over five years. Though the final agreement would require states to increase the share of their families participating in TANF work activities, it does not include the Administration's proposal to set a 40-hour workweek standard or revise the activities that count toward the standard. The reauthorization debate also reflected a renewed focus on noncustodial parents and on family formation issues. The budget agreement includes responsible fatherhood initiatives and a scaled back version of the President's initiative to promote healthy marriages.
Welfare Reauthorization: Overview of the Issues
In February 2002, the Administration proposed its welfare reauthorization plan. The debate was dominated by controversy over the amount of child care funding and the Administration's proposed changes to Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) work participation standards. The final agreement reflects the same child care funding increase that was provided in House-passed welfare reauthorization measures in 2002 and 2003 ($1 billion in additional mandatory child care funding over five years). The 2005 Senate Finance Committee welfare reauthorization bill would have provided $6 billion in additional child care funding over five years. Though the final agreement would require states to increase the share of their families participating in TANF work activities, it does not include the Administration's proposal to set a 40-hour workweek standard or revise the activities that count toward the standard. The reauthorization debate also reflected a renewed focus on noncustodial parents and on family formation issues. The budget agreement includes responsible fatherhood initiatives and a scaled back version of the President's initiative to promote healthy marriages.
Welfare Reauthorization: Overview of the Issues
The 109th Congress is reviewing a number of programs that aid poor and low-income families with children. These programs include the TANF and child care block grants, child support enforcement, abstinence education, transitional Medicaid (known as Transitional Medical Assistance), Head Start, and the Workforce Investment Act. Other potential policy initiatives, such as social security and tax reform, also would likely affect low-income families with children. This report focuses on programs and policy initiatives that are being raised in the context of reviewing and reauthorizing welfare programs: TANF, the Child Care and Development Block Grant, Child Support Enforcement, Transitional Medical Assistance (TMA), Abstinence Education, initiatives to promote responsible fatherhood, and initiatives to promote rearing children in married-couple families.
Child Welfare: FY2013 Budget Request of the President and FY2013 Funding
This report begins with an overview of the purpose for which child welfare funds are appropriated. The report discusses FY2013 appropriations for those programs, including the effect of the automatic spending cuts, know as sequestration.
Human Services Provisions of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act
This report discusses provisions of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) for selected human services programs. The selected programs generally are those that provide benefits and services to families with children, though some programs (e.g., the Community Services Block Grant) provide services to other families as well. All of the programs discussed in this report are administered by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
Drug Testing and Crime-Related Restrictions in TANF, SNAP, and Housing Assistance
Report that describes and compares the drug- and crime-related policy restrictions contained in selected federal programs that provide assistance to low-income individuals and families: the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly Food Stamps), and the three primary federal housing assistance programs (the public housing program, the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher program, and the project-based Section 8 rental assistance program).
Child Welfare Issues in the 110th Congress
As the U.S. Constitution has been interpreted, states have the primary obligation to ensure child welfare. However, Congress provides significant federal funds to help states exercise this responsibility ($7.9 billion appropriated in FY2008). Most of this support is provided for children who are in foster care and who meet specific federal eligibility criteria. This report discusses the federal framework for child welfare policy; reviews the scope of activities, and children and families served, by state child welfare agencies; summarizes several child welfare-related hearings that were held in 2007; describes child welfare and related legislative proposals that have been introduced in the 110th Congress; and reviews child welfare programs for which funding authorization has expired or is set to expire on the last day of FY2008.
Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF): Eligibility and Benefit Amounts in State TANF Cash Assistance Programs
This report describes state the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) financial eligibility rules and maximum benefit amounts. The report discusses cash assistance benefit amounts for needy families that are not automatically adjusted for inflation by the states, and have lost considerable value in terms of their purchasing power over time.
Child Welfare: An Overview of Federal Programs and Their Current Funding
This report begins with a review of federal appropriations activity in FY2014 as it relates to child welfare programs, including the effect of the automatic spending cuts, known as sequestration. The bulk of the report provides a short description of each federal child welfare program, including its purpose and recent (FY2012-FY2014) funding levels.
Child Welfare: State Performance on Child and Family Services Reviews
This report discusses How is a CFSR Conducted , what is Assesses? and Aggregate State Performance on Outcomes in the initial CSR.
Child Welfare Issues in the 110th Congress
As the U.S. Constitution has been interpreted, states have the primary obligation to ensure child welfare. However, Congress provides significant federal funds to help states exercise this responsibility ($7.9 billion appropriated in FY2008). Most of this support is provided for children who are in foster care and who meet specific federal eligibility criteria. This report discusses the federal framework for child welfare policy; reviews the scope of activities, and children and families served, by state child welfare agencies; summarizes several child welfare-related hearings that were held in 2007; describes child welfare and related legislative proposals that have been introduced in the 110th Congress; and reviews child welfare programs for which funding authorization has expired or is set to expire on the last day of FY2008.
Local Welfare Administrators' Comments On the "Welfare Crisis."
This report discusses local welfare and it points out a wide range of opinions and proposals reflected in the discussions of proposals for improving or changing the exiting system.
Alien Eligibility for Public Assistance
This report discusses the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996, which affected alien eligibility for federal, state, and local government assistance programs, both imposing and broadening restrictions on a number of immigration benefits and programs.
Child Welfare: Profiles of Current and Former Older Foster Youth Based on the National Youth in Transition Database (NYTD)
This report provides summary and detailed data about current and former foster youth, as reported by states to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) via the National Youth in Transition Database (NYTD).
Monetary Work Incentives Under the Original and Revised Family Assistance Plan Proposals as Illustrated in Tables Prepared by the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare
This report discusses the Family Assistance Plan (welfare program) and debates regarding work requirements for recipients of cash welfare payments. Tables of data regarding welfare programs in place and their work requirements versus the proposed changes to the bill are included.
Child Custody Proceedings Under The Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA): An Overview
This report discusses how in 1978 Congress enacted the Indian Child Welfare act (ICWA) in response to legislative findings of harm caused to Indian children, their families, and tribes by the high separation rate of Indian Children from their homes and cultural environments.
Extension of the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Block Grant in the Consolidated Appropriations Act: In Brief
This report discusses the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant which provides monthly assistance (welfare) to needy families with children and funding for family and youth poverty alleviation programs such as job training for parents, early childhood education for children, and child care subsidies. Different types of research funded through the appropriations for TANF are also discussed.
The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Block Grant: An Overview
This report provides a nontechnical introduction to the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant. The report briefly describes the history of cash assistance and how the "welfare reform" debates led to the creation of TANF; TANF financing; the TANF cash welfare programs and; other TANF benefits, services, and activities.
Child Welfare Issues in the 108th Congress
This report discusses child welfare services that seek to protect children who have been abused or neglected or who are at risk of maltreatment. It also point out child welfare financing and other child welfare issues.
Child Welfare: Recent and Proposed Federal Funding
This report provides an overview of the FY2010 President's budget request, and it discusses share of child welfare funding by general purpose.
The Child Care and Development Block Grant: Background and Funding
This report discusses the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG), which provides subsidies to assist low-income families in obtaining child care so that parents can work or participate in education or training activities.
The Child Care and Development Block Grant: Background and Funding
This report discusses several federal programs support child care for low-income families, the principal being a federal block grant program: The Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG). The CCDBG is administered by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and provides allotments to states, according to a formula, which are used to subsidize the child care expenses of low-income families with children under age 13.
Welfare Reform: Selected References, 1977-1978
This report is an annotated bibliography of published works on welfare reform from the years 1977 through 1978
Trends in Poverty in the United States
This report discusses trends in poverty in the United States. In 2004, 37 million people were found poor under the official poverty definition — a 1.1 million increase from 2003. The poverty rate, or percent of the population considered poor, increased for the fourth straight year, to 12.7% in 2004 — up from 12.5% in 2003, and 11.3% in 2000, its most recent low.
Federal Benefits and Services for People with Low Income: Programs and Spending, FY2008-FY2013
No Description Available.
Federal Benefits and Services for People with Low Income: Programs, Policy, and Spending, FY2008-FY2009
No Description Available.
The Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA): A Legal Overview.
No Description Available.
H.R. 1--Welfare Reform Provisions (A Selection of Statements and Articles)
This report discusses welfare reform provisions in H.R. 1 and provides materials discussing various opinions and analyses of the proposals published in newspapers and magazines.
The Homeless: Overview of the Problem and the Federal Response
This report discusses the problem of homelessness in the U.S. and the resulting policy response. Unlike the skid row "derelicts" who comprised the typical homeless population of the 1960s, today's street people represent many diverse groups including: the mentally ill, evicted families, the aged, alcoholics, drug addicts, abused spouses, abused young people, and cast-off children.
Contractor Fraud Against the Federal Government: Selected Federal Civil Remedies
This report provides an overview of federal statutes that provide civil remedies for contractor fraud, as well as issues stemming from judicial interpretation of these statutes.
Medicaid Citizenship Documentation
Due to recent changes in federal law, individuals who declare that they are citizens for Medicaid eligibility purposes must present documentation that proves citizenship and documents personal identity. This report discusses issues related to Medicaid citizenship documentation that have received considerable media and interest group attention, as well as proposed legislation that would affect the requirement.
The ACA Medicaid Expansion
This report provides an overview of the ACA Medicaid expansion, and the impact of the Supreme Court decision on the ACA Medicaid expansion. Then, the report describes who is covered under the expansion, the expansion rules, and how the expansion is financed. In addition, enrollment and expenditure estimates for the ACA Medicaid expansion are provided. Finally, the report reviews state decisions whether or not to implement the ACA Medicaid expansion, and the implications of those decisions on certain individuals, employers, and hospitals.
Medicaid Issues for the 109th Congress
Medicaid is jointly financed by the federal and state governments, but each state designs and administers its own state program under broad federal guidelines. Accordingly, state variation in eligibility, covered services, and the delivery of, and reimbursement for, services is the rule rather than the exception. How is Congress to respond to the numerous proposals to move Medicaid forward into the near and long term? This report lays out some of these issues, explains the factors underlying them, and provides links to CRS products that can help Members of Congress and their staff prepare to discuss Medicaid’s role today and into the future.
Poverty: Major Themes in Past Debates and Current Proposals
This report begins with an overview of trends affecting both the incidence of poverty and characteristics of the population, and highlights changing perceptions of the poor and causes of poverty. The report then provides a short history of key federal policies enacted over the past century to address poverty. To provide a framework for analyzing current and future proposals, the report then presents several overarching themes that have recurred in poverty policy debates over the course of this history.
Child Welfare Funding in Brief: Fiscal Year 2017 Final Funding and the President's Fiscal Year 2018 Request.
This report discusses the 2017 fiscal year appropriations received for child welfare programs and the fiscal year 2018 budge request for the same.
Summary of Legislative Activity Related to Family Welfare Programs in the 91st and 92nd Congresses
This report is a chronological summary of major legislative activity during the 91st and 92nd Congress concerning family welfare and family assistance programs.
Child Welfare: Program Reauthorizations and Recent and FY2006 Proposed Funding Levels
This report discusses current funding levels for child welfare programs, intended to protect children from abuse and neglect and to ensure their well-being. In FY2005 the federal government appropriated $7.8 billion for these purposes. Most of this funding is made available to states through open-ended entitlement programs or as formula grants and is authorized under Title IV-E and Title IV-B of the Social Security Act or under the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA).
Child Well-Being and Noncustodial Fathers
This report displays and discusses some of the data related to the poverty of children and their living arrangements and data on male employment and earnings, educational attainment, and incarceration. It then provides information on federal programs that could play a greater role in addressing poverty of children through the fathers of these children (nearly all noncustodial parents are fathers). The report also examines federal programs that have the purposes of preventing teen pregnancy and helping disadvantaged youth obtain the skills and support they need to make the transition to adulthood. The report concludes by presenting several public policy approaches proposed by the policy community that might improve the lives of low-income noncustodial fathers and their children.
Medicaid: A Primer
This report describes the basic elements of Medicaid, focusing on federal rules governing who is eligible, what services are covered, how the program is financed and how beneficiaries share in the cost, how providers are paid, and the role of special waivers in expanding eligibility and modifying benefits. The recently passed Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 or DRA, as amended by the Tax Relief and Health Care Act of 2006, included many provisions affecting Medicaid. DRA provides states with opportunities to make fundamental changes in Medicaid program design, including covered benefits and beneficiary cost-sharing. These and other major DRA changes are summarized here. Lastly, basic program statistics and citations to in-depth CRS reports on specific topics are provided.
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