Smith, Moran Reintroduce Legislation Directing Support to Families Most in Need

Washington, DC - Today Representatives Adrian Smith (R-NE) and Nathaniel Moran (R-TX) reintroduced legislation to ensure federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) funds are used to help the neediest Americans. The bill, the Targeting TANF to Families in Need Act, would direct states to ensure TANF assistance is targeted toward households with income below 200 percent of the federal poverty line. Currently no federal eligibility limits for TANF exist.

The congressmen released the following statements:

"Ensuring TANF programs help families who need it most get back on their feet is tremendously important," said Rep. Smith. "This bill would help states ensure TANF implementation is focused toward its intended goal of restoring beneficiaries to gainful employment and self-sufficiency. I thank Rep. Moran for joining me in this effort, and I look forward to working with my Ways and Means Committee colleagues to advance this legislation."

"I'm proud to join Congressman Adrian Smith in introducing this legislation that reforms the TANF program so that it can continue to meet its original and important purpose to provide temporary assistance for needy families," said Rep. Moran. "Without reform, though, TANF's current expansive program will remain inefficient and bloated-like so much of the federal government-and will simply add to the national debt with very little to show as a return on this investment in families. With the reforms in this bill, working families and their children will continue to receive the support they need to achieve independence while promoting the critical values of personal responsibility, hard work, and self-sufficiency. More of these types of reforms are needed across government to bring higher value to the taxpayer for the use of their money."

Read text of the bill here.

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