The civic record
Read. Follow. Verify.Senate Hearing on Welfare and Poverty in America
Record date · January 1, 2016
Track this bill to get notified when it advances a stage. One tap to stop, anytime.
What This Bill Does
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.
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 It Affects
Groups the bill's text affects, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
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.
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.
Show all 6 facts
- 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?
Who testified at the hearing?
What else do you want to know?
News Coverage
Follow the record
Votes, people, money & the original sourceFull breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Focus on Child Poverty
The hearing explicitly highlights child poverty as a primary metric for evaluating the success of welfare programs.
Connected Entities
Sources
www.govinfo.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance60How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy40Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment10Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz5Current news / social attention level
Publisher tools