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Reposted by Aditi S

Sarah Lueck @sarahl202.bsky.social · Mar 20

We are coming up on 15 years since enactment of the #ACA. The law has helped millions gain coverage, reduced millions of people’s costs, and improved access to care. The law also narrowed coverage gaps across racial and ethnic groups, geography, and for LGBTQ+ communities.

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Aditi S @writingaditi.bsky.social · Mar 14

Another troubling action being proposed by this Admin. As my colleague @kathleenromig.bsky.social explains in this 🧵, policies like this will likely have a chilling effect, particularly in mixed-status families, and fewer people eligible for Social Security/SSI will get benefits in the first place

Kathleen Romig @kathleenromig.bsky.social · Mar 14

The Social Security Administration (SSA) is reportedly going to stop allowing people without Social Security numbers (SSNs) to serve as "representative payees" for beneficiaries who need help managing their benefits.

This risks benefit interruption for thousands.

www.govexec.com/management/2...

SSA weighs axing payments to 170,000 beneficiaries

The move to cease making payments to people without Social Security numbers would imperil the benefits of thousands of immigrants’ children with disabilities.

www.govexec.com

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Peggy Bailey @peggybaileydc.bsky.social · Mar 13

Another piece of evidence that the administration isn’t about helping families.

This move is about making it harder for families to get the support they need from the govt when their income isn’t high enough to afford basic needs like housing, food or health care.

Aditi S @writingaditi.bsky.social · Mar 12

HHS's decision to cancel pilot projects for 5 states under the #TANF program is a major setback for low-income families. In his recent blog, my colleague Nick Gwyn explains why this is a big deal: www.cbpp.org/blog/hhs-hal...

HHS Halts Pilots Aimed at Helping Low-Income Parents Boost Employment, Earnings, and Their Family’s Well-Being | Center on Budget and Policy Priorities

In a move that will significantly stymie state innovation in helping low-income families address barriers affecting their employment and earnings, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)...

www.cbpp.org

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Aditi S @writingaditi.bsky.social · Mar 12

The Trump Administration’s decision to halt these pilots goes against the law passed by Congress and harms low income families in the five selected states—and ultimately, vulnerable families across the nation.

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Aditi S @writingaditi.bsky.social · Mar 12

TANF, which serves just 1 in 5 families in poverty, desperately needs reform. With TANF’s frozen, block- granted funding and strict work requirements, these pilot projects offered a critical opportunity for positive change based on measuring outcomes for families.

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Aditi S @writingaditi.bsky.social · Mar 12

After a rigorous process, California, Kentucky, Maine, Minnesota, and Ohio were selected for the pilots, each with promising plans to make TANF more effective. Now, HHS says that states must reapply, under a not-yet-announced new procedure. This move will delay vital progress.

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Aditi S @writingaditi.bsky.social · Mar 12

Twenty-two states (& Puerto Rico!) applied to participate in the pilot. That means nearly half of states are eager to move TANF in a better direction and better serve their TANF families!

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Aditi S @writingaditi.bsky.social · Mar 12

Under TANF, states are forced to meet rigid “work participation rates.” The pilot projects aimed to move away from these work reporting requirements in order to create long-term economic stability and mobility for families, maximize earnings, and increase family well- being.

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Aditi S @writingaditi.bsky.social · Mar 12

HHS's decision to cancel pilot projects for 5 states under the #TANF program is a major setback for low-income families. In his recent blog, my colleague Nick Gwyn explains why this is a big deal: www.cbpp.org/blog/hhs-hal...

HHS Halts Pilots Aimed at Helping Low-Income Parents Boost Employment, Earnings, and Their Family’s Well-Being | Center on Budget and Policy Priorities

In a move that will significantly stymie state innovation in helping low-income families address barriers affecting their employment and earnings, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)...

www.cbpp.org

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Reposted by Aditi S

Katie Bergh @katiebergh.bsky.social · Mar 11

NEW: Some key Republicans may be planning to impose SNAP food benefit costs on states, forcing them to pay up or cut food assistance to low-income families. Here's why that would worsen hunger & hurt states' ability to meet the needs of their residents: www.cbpp.org/research/foo...

Imposing SNAP Food Benefit Costs on States Would Worsen Hunger, Hurt States’ Ability to Meet Residents’ Needs | Center on Budget and Policy Priorities

Requiring states to pay even a modest portion of SNAP benefits would radically change the program’s funding structure, abandoning the long-standing national commitment to provide low-income households...

www.cbpp.org

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Mike Leachman @mleachm.bsky.social · Mar 10

The House may vote as soon as tomorrow on a federal government funding bill that contains a hidden, devastating surprise for the District of Columbia: a requirement that DC drastically slash its budget halfway through the fiscal yr, causing immediate cuts to police, schools, transportation & more.

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Aditi S @writingaditi.bsky.social · Mar 7

Congress should prioritize what’s best for children and families and reject cuts to TANF and SSBG.

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Aditi S @writingaditi.bsky.social · Mar 7

This doesn’t just jeopardize child development support that children need, but also creates obstacles while their parents work or go to school.

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Aditi S @writingaditi.bsky.social · Mar 7

If these cuts are made, nearly 40,000 children would lose access to child care. A further 2.4 million children’s access to child care and early education would also be affected.

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Aditi S @writingaditi.bsky.social · Mar 7

Let’s pin for another day the conversation about how both of these programs are significantly underfunded already. Example? TANF’s block grant hasn’t been adjusted for inflation since it was created in 1996. It’s lost half of its value as a result.

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Aditi S @writingaditi.bsky.social · Mar 7

Congressional Republicans are threatening to eliminate SSBG, at $1.7 billion each year, entirely. And they’re proposing to significantly reduce the $16.5 billion that’s spent on TANF each year.

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Aditi S @writingaditi.bsky.social · Mar 7

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and the Social Services Block Grant (SSBG) both fund vital supports to low income families, including child care and early education.

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Aditi S @writingaditi.bsky.social · Mar 7

The onslaught of harm continues. Republican budget proposals around TANF and SSBG jeopardize the wellbeing of millions of children, as this new fact sheet from @clasp.org shows:
www.clasp.org/publications...

Cuts to SSBG, TANF Would Eliminate Child Care for 40K Children, Disrupt Care for Millions More | CLASP

By Stephanie Schmit & Rachel Wilensky Federal budget proposals currently under consideration threaten resources available for children and families through multiple key programs, including the Tempora...

www.clasp.org

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Chaer Robert @chaerrobert.bsky.social · Feb 26

The purpose of government is not to GROW the income divide. #inequality

Aditi S @writingaditi.bsky.social · Feb 25

The latest idea for paying for tax cuts for the wealthy? Taking away income assistance from the poorest families, through the red tape of harsher work requirements.

subscriber.politicopro.com/article/2025...

POLITICO Pro: GOP tax chief: House budget does not allow for Trump tax permanency

Rep. Jason Smith warned that current House budget would likely make room for at most eight to nine years of tax cut extensions.

subscriber.politicopro.com

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Aditi S @writingaditi.bsky.social · Feb 25

More tax cuts for the wealthy paid for by slashing support for families in poverty is the absolute wrong direction for our nation. TANF needs to be improved, not cut.

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Aditi S @writingaditi.bsky.social · Feb 25

Making these requirements harsher and more inflexible will further cut the number of families TANF assists, and make it harder for people to meet their families’ basic needs.

www.cbpp.org/research/pov...

Expanding Work Requirements Would Make It Harder for People to Meet Basic Needs | Center on Budget and Policy Priorities

Taking benefits away from people who don’t meet a work requirement does little to improve long-term employment outcomes. Instead, it substantially increases hardship.

www.cbpp.org

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Aditi S @writingaditi.bsky.social · Feb 25

TANF’s work requirements are part of the reason very few families actually receive assistance from the program – only one out of every five families below the poverty line.

www.cbpp.org/research/fam...

TANF Cash Assistance Should Reach Millions More Families to Lessen Hardship | Center on Budget and Policy Priorities

Families use assistance provided by the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program to pay for rent, utilities, diapers, food, transportation, and other necessities. Yet too few families st...

www.cbpp.org

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Aditi S @writingaditi.bsky.social · Feb 25

The TANF program already has strict work requirements, which were further tightened in 2023. Those requirements focus on documenting a narrow set of activities, rather than promoting positive outcomes, and act as a barrier to benefits, not a path to employment.

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Aditi S @writingaditi.bsky.social · Feb 25

In 17 states, a family of three gets less than $414 each month. And 10 states have the same cash benefit level as they did in 1996.

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Aditi S @writingaditi.bsky.social · Feb 25

The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, or TANF, program provides extremely modest cash benefits to families well below the poverty level. It is a vital support to the families who are able to receive it.

www.cbpp.org/research/inc...

Continued Increases in TANF Benefit Levels Are Critical to Helping Families Meet Their Needs and Thrive | Center on Budget and Policy Priorities

TANF can play a key role in ensuring that eligible families can meet their needs. Although some states increased their cash benefit levels between July 2022 and July 2023 much more can be done to impr...

www.cbpp.org

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