On December 13, the House approved, 234-193, the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act (H.R 3630). The measure contains provisions to extend through FY2012 Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) grants for family assistance, healthy marriage promotion and responsible fatherhood, and tribal assistance, among other programs. The bill also would authorize $2.917 billion for child care entitlement programs.
Among other provisions, H.R. 3630 would require states receiving TANF funds to maintain policies and procedures that prevent TANF assistance from being used in casinos, liquor stores, and strip clubs. States that fail to do so within two years of enactment would have their state family assistance grant funds reduced by five percent for the following year and each year in which the state does not implement such practices.
On December 15, the House approved, by voice vote, the Welfare Integrity and Data Improvement Act (H.R. 3659), which was incorporated into H.R. 3630.
On December 17, the Senate approved, by unanimous consent, a version of H.R. 3630 that would extend the TANF program through February 29, 2012. In September, Congress cleared a temporary extension (P.L. 112-35), which will expire on December 31 (see The Source, 9/23/11).
