U.S. Congress introduces legislation to reform TANF

Federal lawmakers and leaders of the U.S. House Ways and Means Committee introduced legislation to reform Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, also known as welfare.

Seven new pieces of legislation were introduced.

The committee said the Mississippi case is emblematic of a systematic problem.

They also said a lack of basic financial safeguards have created an environment ripe for fraud that robs resources from families in poverty, also saying some states divert non-assistance funds to full budget gaps and fund programs loosely related to TANF’s core goals.

Mississippi State Auditor Shad White says its time to get smart about how the nation spends welfare money and put in more safeguards to prevent another scheme like what was seen in the Magnolia state.

The proposed reforms would tighten the definition of ‘needy’, require more TANF dollars to focus on moving the needy into a job, and cut down on administrative waste in TANF spending.