PRWORA

PRWORA stands for Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996, a United States federal law enacted to overhaul the nation’s welfare program. Signed by President Bill Clinton on August 22, 1996, the act restructured federal assistance by shifting from entitlement-based aid to state-administered programs and emphasizing work and self-sufficiency.

The centerpiece was the replacement of Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) with Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), a capped block grant to states and tribes. Key features included a five-year lifetime limit on federally funded TANF benefits, maintenance-of-effort provisions requiring states to maintain minimum spending levels, and mandatory work requirements designed to place recipients into the labor market through activities such as job search, training, and employment.

PRWORA also tightened noncitizen eligibility for most federal welfare benefits, allowing some categories to receive limited assistance under state programs or during transitional periods. In addition, the law strengthened child support enforcement and required cooperation between welfare and child support programs to maximize collections and reduce outlays.

Impact and reception: The act marked a fundamental shift in U.S. welfare policy, reducing federal entitlement and increasing state control. Caseloads declined in the late 1990s and early 2000s, but analysts continue to debate effects on poverty, work, and family well-being, noting trade-offs between work incentives and access to services.