FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 2nd, 2025
Daines, LaHood Introduce Bicameral Bill to Reform and Reauthorize Program that Supports Families in Need
U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines (R-Mont.) and Congressman Darin LaHood (IL-16) today introduced their bicameral “Jobs for Success Act.” The bill reauthorizes funding for the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program and implements reforms to help individuals find work.
“Nobody wants to depend on the government’s help, and this bill is a crucial step in modernizing the TANF program to ensure that we’re helping families escape the cycle of poverty and equipping them for self-sufficiency. By promoting work ethic and responsibility, we can cut straight to the root causes of economic disadvantage and child poverty, and our families will be far better off,” said Daines.
“It is time for Congress to modernize the TANF program to protect against fraud and ensure that the program is assisting our most vulnerable individuals and families. It is clear that the lack of guardrails makes the system ripe for abuse. I was proud to introduce the JOBS for Success Act alongside Senator Daines to ensure TANF funds are being used to remove barriers to work and help individuals realize their full potential,” said LaHood.
Read the bill text HERE.
Background:
The TANF program provides grants to states for a wide range of benefits and services that seek to address the effects and causes of child poverty and economic disadvantage. The “Jobs for Success Act” would extend TANF, tribal TANF, and healthy marriage promotion and responsible fatherhood grants through 2030. It also requires states to develop individualized plans for employment and ensures federal and state funds are spent on employment-oriented purposes.
Statements of Support:
“The Taxpayers Protection Alliance applauds Sen. Daines’ leadership on reordering the incentives of, and bringing accountability to, the TANF program. Orienting federal payments programs towards employment — reinforcing the truth that dignified work is the ideal — is critical for reform. This tried and true method will be more cost effective and will help achieve the ultimate goal of these payments: getting Americans working and self-sufficient.”— Dan Savickas, VP of Policy & Government Affairs, Taxpayers Protection Alliance
“The JOBS for Success Act will make the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program more effective by reducing improper payments, increasing accountability and transparency, and ensuring that those who are eligible receive the help that they need.”— Tom Schatz, President, Council for Citizens Against Government Waste
“The National Taxpayers Union is pleased to support JOBS for Success, which would preserve the ability of the federal government to provide a helping hand to vulnerable Americans, but now this hand would help citizens help themselves by reconnecting them to the labor market and ending generational cycles of poverty across the country. The ability to provide taxpayers some real savings is just icing on the cake.” – David Timmons, Senior Policy Manager, National Taxpayers Union
“Public policy should promote work, and COVID showed us what happens when you pay people not to work. By requiring individual employment plans, expanding work requirements to all work-eligible individuals, moving towards outcomes-based accountability, and limiting funds to those who need it, the Jobs and Opportunity with Benefits and Services (JOBS) for Success Act will increase employment, economic growth and upward mobility. Club for Growth is proud to endorse this effort.” – David McIntosh, President, Club for Growth
“The JOBS for Success Act offers a bold, outcomes-driven approach to help families move into meaningful employment. By focusing on individualized plans and real-world results, it ensures that taxpayer dollars are used effectively to support lasting change. This legislation strengthens accountability and modernizes TANF to meet today’s workforce challenges.” –Brent Gardner, Chief Government Affairs Officer, Americans for Prosperity
“Over time, Congress has allowed TANF’s work requirements to weaken, and many states have abdicated their statutory duty to encourage TANF recipients to find work. If the program’s assistance is truly intended to be temporary, it is imperative that recipients are empowered to hone their skills and climb the economic ladder. Thankfully, Rep. LaHood and Senator Daines have introduced the JOBS for Success Act. This bill would restore accountability, requiring that all TANF recipients have a job, are actively looking for a job, or are giving back to their community via volunteer work. These reforms provide needed structure, requiring recipients to meet short and long-term career goals based on individualized plans built around their specific skill level and education. If lawmakers value restoring the dignity of work and ensuring stable employment for hundreds of thousands of Americans, they should support the JOBS for Success Act.”– Grover Norquist, President, Americans for Tax Reform
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Contact: Matt Lloyd, Gabby Wiggins