Young, Walorski Lead Bicameral Bill to Improve TANF Program

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Todd Young (R-Ind.) and U.S. Representative Jackie Walorski (R-Ind.-02) introduced the bicameral Coordinating Assistance for TANF Recipients Act, which aims to improve case management coordination for individuals receiving Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) assistance. 

Individuals who apply for TANF assistance often also receive benefits and services from other programs. In many cases, beneficiaries must meet with multiple caseworkers and visit different offices to satisfy the requirements of each program. By improving coordination between programs, this legislation will streamline assistance and better help recipients find jobs and become self-sufficient. 

“Beneficiaries of TANF assistance are currently forced to spend too much time and energy navigating a maze of government bureaucracy,” said Senator Young. “This legislation will streamline assistance and study evidence-based approaches to help families in need get back on their feet.”

“Our safety net is essential to helping people who fall on hard times get back on their feet, but too often it becomes a web that traps people in a cycle of poverty,” Congresswoman Walorski said. “Human interaction is what breaks that cycle, and by letting states test innovative solutions tailored to local needs, we can empower individuals to move back to work and achieve the American Dream.”

The Coordinating Assistance for TANF Recipients Act sets aside $300 million for states to test methods of coordinating case management between multiple programs. Each project would be studied using a high-quality evaluation to determine whether the coordinated case management projected was effective in helping welfare recipients move to work.

Senator Young previously introduced the legislation while a member of the House of Representatives.