In passing the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, the Republican Congress set a new gold standard for welfare reform. Some conservatives say the GOP has gone wobbly on work. The reality is that even the 1996 reform that created the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program—which by 2005 had shrunk the TANF caseload by nearly 60% by moving able-bodied adults into work—pales in comparison with what this month’s reconciliation bill achieves. It is easily the biggest welfare reform in U. S. history.
Focus on Welfare State
Unlike past reforms, the reconciliation bill focused on the core of the welfare state. TANF’s predecessor, Aid to Families With Dependent Children, often trapped families in dependency for generations. Fixing it was necessary. But the 1996 reforms still ignored the biggest drivers of welfare’s growth. Federal welfare spending has increased by an inflation-adjusted 170% since then, largely driven by able-bodied adults leaving the workforce to receive Medicaid and food stamps.
Medicaid Work Requirement
Republicans are now tackling this moral and fiscal crisis. The reconciliation reforms will likely move at least twice as many people off welfare as the 1996 reform did. These include the first-ever Medicaid work requirement. Thanks to President Trump and Congress, able-bodied adults without children, as well as adults with children 14 and older, will now have to work, volunteer, train or go to school at least part time as a condition of receiving taxpayers’ help. My organization, the Foundation for Government Accountability, estimates that this requirement will cover at least 10 million people. Millions will leave Medicaid as their incomes rise.
Food Stamp Reforms
Republicans have also strengthened those work requirements. More able-bodied adults without children must now work for food stamps. So must those with children 14 or older. The GOP has also tightened the requirements that states have to meet to receive waivers to avoid food-stamp work requirements. We estimate that about eight million people will be subject to this work requirement, and most will move off of welfare as a result.
Future Reforms
Could Republicans have gone further? No doubt. The 1996 reform applied a work requirement of at least 30 hours a week to TANF, whereas today’s reforms require a maximum of 20 hours to qualify for Medicaid. Congress also created various loopholes to the new Medicaid work requirement, while temporarily exempting states with especially bad program integrity from the food-stamp spending reform. These carve-outs will likely delay or prevent several million Americans from leaving welfare for the workforce. Republicans will continue to work on more reforms in the future.
Republicans’ Achievement
Republicans should be proud of this achievement. They are boosting the economy, saving taxpayers billions of dollars, and showing their deep belief in lower-income Americans’ ability to contribute to our country’s future. The only real shame is that, unlike 30 years ago, not a single Democrat supported progress. That means Republicans can, and should, own this victory. They alone have passed the biggest welfare reform in U. S. history.
Mr. Dublois is data and analytics director at the Foundation for Government Accountability.
