PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
Congressional Research Service
Version 00 · Introduced in Senate · Jun 19, 2002
Working Toward Independence Act of 2002 - Amends title IV (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) (TANF) of the Social Security Act (SSA) to reauthorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services (Secretary) to award state family assistance grants.Authorizes States to use grants for healthy marriage promotion activities and requires the Secretary to make bonus grants to each State that has achieved formulated employment goals.Revises requirements for the consideration of certain child care expenditures in determining State compliance with contingency fund requirements.Revises State work participation requirements, incorporating a 40-hour work week standard.Revises requirements for the use of TANF grants. Repeals the Secretary's authority to make loans to State welfare programs and revises State work participation requirements.Authorizes the Secretary to develop TANF performance measures. Makes appropriations for research, demonstrations, and technical assistance.Authorizes the Secretary to make grants to public and nonprofit community entities for demonstration projects to test the effectiveness of various approaches to create a Fatherhood Program.Permits States the option to make TANF programs mandatory partners with one-stop employment training centers.Reauthorizes funding for State child care entitlement programs and revises State requirements for child support payments.Amends SSA title XI (General Provisions) to eliminate specified limitations on the Secretary's authority to approve demonstration projects and grant waivers.Amends SSA title XVI (Supplemental Security Income) (SSI) to require the Commissioner of Social Security to review State agency blindness and disability determinations.Authorizes the administering Secretary to authorize innovative State demonstration projects involving individual programs, or integrating multiple public assistance, employment security, and other programs to support working families.Amends the Food Stamp Act of 1977 to require the Secretary to establish a program to make grants to States to provide food assistance and funds to operate employment and training programs for needy individuals.Extends abstinence education funding and reauthorizes transitional medical assistance.
People & committees
Sen. Hutchinson, Tim [R-AR] · R–AR
Legislative record
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Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S5778-5779)
Introduced in Senate
Primary sources
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Source last updated: Aug 19, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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