Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA)

The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA), enacted in 1996, is a U.S. law that restructured welfare programs to promote self-sufficiency. It replaced Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) with Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), imposing work requirements and lifetime limits on benefits. The law emphasizes personal responsibility, encouraging recipients to find employment and reduce dependency on government aid, while also providing states with more flexibility in designing assistance programs. Its goal is to support families in achieving economic independence while maintaining safety nets for those in need.