FEDERALhearing transcript

Senate Hearing on Welfare and Poverty in America

Original title: WELFARE AND POVERTY IN AMERICA

January 1, 2016

poverty welfare TANF child poverty social services

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The Frame

What this does

This hearing serves as a formal record of legislative inquiry into the efficacy of federal poverty-alleviation programs, which directly impacts the funding and operational requirements for state-level welfare administration and the support services available to low-income families.

Who is mentioned in the record

Potentially affected actors named in the source documents. Mention is not a position.

TANF recipients

These individuals rely on the federal assistance programs being evaluated for potential policy changes.

State workforce agencies

These agencies administer federal welfare funds and are subject to federal oversight and program requirements.

What changed

Last recorded activity January 1, 2016.

What's next

Next step not available in the current record.

Summary

The U.S. Senate Committee on Finance held a hearing on October 29, 2015, to examine the state of poverty in America and the effectiveness of federal programs like Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (). The session featured testimony from economists, policy experts, and individuals with personal experience in the welfare system.

Key Facts

The hearing was held on October 29, 2015, by the Senate Committee on Finance.
The committee discussed the effectiveness of the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program.
Official statistics cited indicate that one out of every five children in the United States lives in poverty.
The hearing included testimony from four witnesses: Pamela Loprest, Aretha J. Jackson, H. Luke Shaefer, and Jon S. Pierpont.
The committee examined the link between deep poverty and long-term mental and physical health issues.
The hearing record includes supplemental materials such as articles on wage increases and prepared statements from all witnesses.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the purpose of this hearing?

The hearing was convened to discuss the state of poverty in America and evaluate how federal programs, specifically , are working to help families.

Who testified at the hearing?

The witnesses included an economist from the Urban Institute, a disabled veteran and recipient, a professor from the University of Michigan, and the executive director of the Utah Department of Workforce Services.

Why It Matters

News Coverage

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Discoveries

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift90% confidence

Focus on Child Poverty

The hearing explicitly highlights child poverty as a primary metric for evaluating the success of welfare programs.

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families

Connected Entities

personOrrin G. Hatch“Chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance”Map →

personAretha J. Jackson“Disabled veteran and TANF recipient”Map →

personPamela Loprest“Labor economist and senior fellow at the Urban Institute”Map →

otherTemporary Assistance for Needy Families“Federal assistance program discussed during the hearing”Map →

personH. Luke Shaefer“Associate professor at the University of Michigan and co-author of '$2.00 a Day'”Map →

personJon S. Pierpont“Executive director of the Utah Department of Workforce Services”Map →

Sources

Open source document

www.govinfo.gov

Analysis Score

0–100

Significance60
How much this matters to a regular citizen
Controversy40
Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
Entertainment10
Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
Buzz5
Current news / social attention level

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