Abstract

The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 has instituted major changes in providing for the poor in the United States. With the passage of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), the nation's welfare system for poor women and their children was fundamentally transformed. TANF reauthorization is due September 30, 2002. This article reviews the major provisions of TANF, examines its impact on TANF families, and discuses the barriers to successful implementation of TANF. Finally, this article stresses the importance of a human-capital approach for TANF.

Key words

TANF、Welfare, Single Mothers, Poverty, Poor Families, Economic Independence