What is the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunities Reconciliation Act (PRWORA)?
The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (PRWORA) is a comprehensive bipartisan welfare reform plan signed into law by President Clinton that dramatically changed the nation’s welfare system into one that requires work in exchange for time-limited assistance. The bill contains strong work requirements, a performance bonus to reward states for moving welfare recipients into jobs, state maintenance of effort requirements, comprehensive child support enforcement, and supports for families moving from welfare to work that included increased funding for child care and guaranteed medical coverage.
