Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF): The House bill drops a whole set of restrictive TANF policy changes into the reconciliation bill that should be debated separately. The legislation includes harsh new work requirementswith resources to carry them out, certain to result in needy families with children being pushed off assistance. Funds now used by states for welfare to work supports will be transferred to unproven marriage promotion activities. Child care funding is so inadequate that by 2010, 330,00 fewer low-income children will recieve child care help then now.

Medicaid: The House bill would allow states to make low-income families pay $25 or more for doctor's visits plus charging them for premiums for the first time in Medicaid's history. Total charges can reach up to 5 percent of a family's income - for example, a family of three with an annual income of $17,000 would be expected to pay $850. States would also be able to reduce the benefits package. Research shows that imposing these costs means children will go without care.

Child Support Enforcement: Reducing the federal share of enforcement costs means that children will go without $7.9 billion in child support they are owed over 5 years, rising to $24.1 billion over 10 years. Child support adds urgently needed stability to help families that have moved from welfare to work. Every one dollar spent results in more than four dollars collectd - it is a cost-effective investment.

Food Stamps: About 300,000 low-income people a month will lose food stamps from two provisions: (1) 225,000 people in working families who no longer recieve TANF cash benefits but recieve child care, training, or other services will lose food stamps, even though their work and housing expenses drop their income below the poverty line ($16,090 for a 3-person family). (2) 70,000 immigrants here LEGALLY will lose food stamps each month because they will have to wait 7 years to qualify, no matter how poor they are, instead of the current 5 years. A slight change proposed would allow a few people aged 60 or older who had already started to recieve food stamps to continue - but starting in 2008, the 7-year ban will apply.

School Meals: Because they are no longer automatically eligible through Food Stamps, 40,000 low-income children who have recieved free school meals will lose them - either entirely or they will have to pay part of the cost.

Poor Children Cared for by Relatives: Abused or neglected children benefit if they can stay with a grandparent or other relative who can provide a stable, loving home. The legislation would result in denying federal foster care assistance to relatives now caring for children, no matter how poor, if the parents had higher income. This provision would overturn an appeals court decision basing eligibility on the poverty of the relatives actually caring for the children.

Making People with Disabilities Wait Longer for Money they are Owed: Supplemental Security Income (SSI)routinely takes many months to approve benefits for applicants. Now, poor people with disabilities may recieve a lump sum payment of up to 12 months of back benefits once they are approved - often urgently needed to pay overdue bills from months without income. The House bill essentially forces people with severe disabilities to lend the federal government money for months or longer. If they die first, the federal government doesn't have to pay at all.

Student Loans: The cuts in the student loan program will be passed on to students in the form of higher loan payments, could increase in the cost of an average student's loans by $5,800.