HR0513 100TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0513 LRB100 13194 KTG 27599 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program was created by Congress in 1996 to help needy families achieve self-sufficiency by providing temporary financial assistance for pregnant women and families with one or more dependent children; and

WHEREAS, Since 1996, the real dollar amount in State funding for Illinois' TANF program has been effectively reduced by 25%; this reduction is not only dangerous for the families who are depending on TANF benefits for stability, but also puts a greater burden on caseworkers who are tasked with assisting these families to become self-sufficient; and

WHEREAS, The General Assembly must take up the matter of further investing in Illinois' TANF program and see to it that the State assists in lifting Illinois' most vulnerable families out of poverty to become self-sufficient contributors to the State's economy; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDREDTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that the House asks that the General Assembly restore funding for Illinois' Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program to the original funding levels established in 1996.