[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 201 (Wednesday, October 17, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Page 52773]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-26038]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Administration for Children and Families


Reauthorization of the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families 
(TANF) Program Authority

AGENCY: Administration for Children and Families, HHS.

ACTION: Solicitation of comments.

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SUMMARY: On August 22, 1996, Congress enacted the Personal 
Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act. This 
legislation created a new welfare block grant program, known as the 
Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, or TANF. The TANF program goes 
before Congress for reauthorization next year. The purpose of this 
notice is to invite public comment about what changes the 
Administration should propose for this program.

DATES: Submit comments on or before November 30, 2001.

ADDRESSES: Submit comments through the mail to: TANF Reauthorization 
Ideas, Office of Family Assistance, 5th Floor East, Aerospace Building, 
370 L'Enfant Promenade, SW, Washington, DC 20447. Hand deliver comments 
to: Office of Family Assistance, 5th Floor East, 901 D Street, SW., 
Washington, DC. If you wish to comment electronically, go to OFA's Web 
site at http://www.acf.dhhs.gov/programs/ofa/ and follow the 
instructions.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ann Burek, Senior Program Specialist, 
Office of Family Assistance, ACF, at 202-401-4528. Ms. Burek's e-mail 
address is: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Legislative Background

    Title I of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity 
Reconciliation Act of 1996, Pub. L. 104-193, established the Temporary 
Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program at title IV-A of the 
Social Security Act (the Act). TANF is a block grant program that has 
facilitated dramatic reforms in the nation's welfare system. Its focus 
is on moving recipients into work and turning welfare into a program of 
temporary assistance, preventing and reducing the incidence of out-of-
wedlock births, and promoting stable two-parent families.
    TANF replaced the national welfare program known as Aid to Families 
with Dependent Children (AFDC) that provided cash assistance to needy 
families on an entitlement basis. It also replaced the related programs 
known as the Job Opportunities and Basic Skills Training (JOBS) program 
and the Emergency Assistance (EA) program. The law, which provides the 
major portion of the state and tribal funding for TANF in the form of a 
block grant, was only authorized through 2002.
    You may find an electronic version of the enrolled bill at: http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c104:H.R.3734.ENR.

    Authority: E.O. 13132. 64 FR 43255, 3 CFR, 1999 Comp., p. 206.

Public Input

    Between mid-October and mid-November, the Department is sponsoring 
five regional meetings with key officials from each state to receive 
input as the Administration considers its TANF reauthorization 
proposal. The Department will also be sponsoring a meeting with tribal 
representatives that will focus on tribal TANF issues. However, it is 
not possible to capture input from all individuals and organizations 
that have an interest in TANF reauthorization through these meetings. 
Thus, this notice is intended to provide any and all parties an 
opportunity to submit comments.
    The Department's primary interest is gathering input about the TANF 
provisions of the legislation. However, many other federal programs, 
such as the Food Stamp Program, the Child Care and Development Fund, 
Child Welfare, and Child Support Enforcement, serve the same needy 
families as TANF and provide related benefits. Some of these programs 
are facing reauthorization next year as well. Thus, the Department will 
also accept comments on program coordination issues.

    Dated: October 11, 2001.
Tommy G. Thompson,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 01-26038 Filed 10-16-01; 8:45 am]
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