What is H.R. 890?

(Updated September 13, 2016)

H.R. 890 – the Preserving the Welfare Work Requirement and TANF Extension Act of 2013 – would block waivers that currently allow states to enroll people in welfare even if they do not meet the work requirement.

In July 2012, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued an information memorandum saying it would accept and approve applications from states seeking to waive the work requirement for their local welfare programs. Essentially, HHS said they would still offer welfare funding to states that did not meet the old requirement of having 50% of welfare recipients working, or on the path to employment.

By voiding the information memorandum H.R. 890 would:

• Ban states that do not meet work requirements from receiving federal funding for their welfare programs.
• Prohibit the HHS from carrying out any orders, or similar measures of the information memorandum that would alter the TANF Extension Act of 2013.
  

Argument in favor

People who receive welfare should be required to work. Encouraging low-income groups to find jobs while providing government assistance is the best way out of poverty.

Argument opposed

Not everyone who qualifies for government aid is able to work, and finding a job isn’t always that easy. Insisting that people work to receive federal aid is a tall order.

Impact

Welfare recipients who are not employed or on the path to employment, people on welfare, the HHS, 15% of the general U.S. population currently living in poverty, as reported by the 2010 U.S. Census

Cost of H.R. 890

The CBO estimates that H.R. 890 would reduce direct spending by $61 million over the 2013-2023 period.

Additional Info

In Depth:

H.R. 890's supporters are happy to be fighting against an information memorandum that they see as an attempt to gut welfare reform law. In fact, many believe that the Obama administration did not have the authority to waive the work requirement in the first place. Sponsoring Rep. Tom Reed (NY-R), speaking in favor of H.R. 890's passage, noted:

“This is about giving people the tools to get back to work, and that work under the welfare program makes sense and is good sound policy.”

Opposition to H.R. 890 argue that not all people who are eligible for welfare are capable of working, and that a work expectation is unrealistic. Others defend the information memorandum, noting that it would only waive the work requirement if states can demonstrate that they have raise the number of people leaving  welfare programs for work by 20 percent.

Media:

Press Release Sponsoring Rep. Dave Camp (MI-R)

CBO Cost Estimate

The Hill