How Far Does the Safety Net Reach?
The vast majority of poor families with children in the United States receive some form of cash assistance from the government, but that assistance is often minimal and a small share of families are still left out, according to a new report from the American Enterprise Institute. The Reach of the Cash-Based Safety Net for Poor Families with Children in America finds that while federal spending on the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program has steadily declined in the last two decades, spending on the Earned Income Tax Credit has risen significantly and more poor families now claim Supplemental Security Income. The authors argue that federal programs to support low-income families with children should focus on increasing employment and reaching the poorest families.