The best way out of poverty is a job. Nearly 2 million families receive TANF assistance and are struggling to get by. H.R. 2990, the Accelerating Individuals Into The Workforce Act, would help these people find jobs and gain valuable work skills so they no longer need to rely on federal assistance, while also allowing businesses to hire more employees.

The bill would provide funds for states to subsidize employment for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) recipients to help these individuals find jobs and become self-sufficient. While moving welfare recipients into employment is a central goal of TANF, some welfare recipients have a difficult time transitioning from welfare into a job. In some cases, employers may be reluctant to hire welfare recipients who may have limited work experience or other barriers to working.

The Accelerating Individuals Into The Workforce Act would provide $100 million to states to subsidize the wages of TANF recipients. Up to 50% of the wage can be subsidized using funds from this bill, while the other half of the wage would be paid by the employer or another source of funding.

The overall goal of TANF is to end the dependence on public assistance through training and educational opportunities. Each project would be studied using a high-quality evaluation to determine whether the subsidized jobs project was effective in helping welfare recipients move into work. Based on what is learned from the projects, the Department of Health and Human Services would submit recommendations to Congress on how to increase the employment of TANF recipients, as well as how to help them retain their jobs and increase earnings over time.

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