The second, TANF, is as you might imagine from its name, is temporary, and for families.

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There are two primary welfare programs in the United States, Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF).

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Since 1996, the federal government has issued block grants to the states through the Temporary Assistance For Needy Family (TANF) program.

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President Obama, how will you address the failings of TANF and child care assistance programs to keep up with increased demand?

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The reformed program was renamed Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF).

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The old New Deal era Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) is now Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), which pays cash mostly to single mothers with children.

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Unfortunately, we have to acknowledge that if TANF and student loans were effective by themselves, all of the welfare mothers would now be in positions similar to nurses, scientists, etc.

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Food-stamp participation rose by 45% between December 2007 and December 2009, CBPP calculates, while the number of families receiving cash grants under TANF, a block-grant scheme, rose by just 13%.

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If boredom sets in, look up CHIP or TANF.

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As a result, in real dollars total federal and state spending on TANF by 2006 was down 31% from AFDC spending in 1995, and down by more than half of what it would have been under prior trends.

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