When TANF was created in 1996, the program imposed new requirements on states to compel welfare recipients to work and place time limits on their benefits. It also offered states substantial flexibility in meeting these federal requirements. As we enter TANF's second decade, it is useful to...

Ten years ago, Congress reformed welfare by creating Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), which required most welfare recipients to work and imposed time limits on benefits for the first time. Recent changes to federal TANF rules place additional pressure on states to move more...