The House Welfare Bill (H.R. 4) Does Not Provide Enough Child Care Funding to Meet Work Requirements Without Forcing States to Restrict Access to Subsidies for Other Low-Income Families


 

Publication Date: February 2003

Publisher: Center for Law and Social Policy

Author(s): Jennifer Mezey

Research Area: Social conditions

Type: Brief

Coverage: United States

Abstract:

The House welfare reauthorization bill (H.R. 4) includes a $1 billion increase over five years in federal mandatory child care funds and significant new welfare work requirements. This analysis shows that the bill’s proposed child care funding increase is not sufficient to allow states to meet these new work requirements, to maintain their current levels of services against inflation, or to make up for decreased child care resources caused by strains on Temporary Assistance for Needy Families funds and by state fiscal crises.