The real lesson of the 1996 law remains that there is a better way for Americans in need, if only today’s lawmakers match their forebears in choosing it.
The actual effects of the law—especially in promoting more work and earnings and less poverty and welfare dependence—exceeded what even some of the law’s strongest advocates anticipated.
July 24, 2026 | Ian V. Rowe, Brad Wilcox, and Grant Bailey
The government often leaves out a critical factor in its public reporting to help us understand what drives child outcomes in student learning, health, and economic security: family structure.
The Trump administration is threatening to use “every available enforcement tool” to compel states to better protect unemployment benefits against fraud and abuse.