Aid to Families with Dependent Children

Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) is the name of a welfare program in effect between August 14, 1935 and June 30, 1997, administered by the United States Department of Health and Human Services. The program was created under the name Aid to Dependent Children (ADC) by the Social Security Act of 1935 as part of the New Deal; the words "families with" were added to the name in 1960.

In 1996, President Bill Clinton negotiated with the Republican-controlled United States Congress to pass the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act which drastically remade the program. Among other things, a lifetime limit of five years was imposed on the receipt of benefits, and the newly-limited nature of the replacement program was reinforced by calling AFDC's successor Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF). Many Americans continue to refer to TANF as "welfare" or AFDC.

After President Clinton signed the act, Republican Presidential Candidate Bob Dole criticized Clinton for "abandoning his base."

One could receive Aid their entire life.
No work limits or requirements.
Presumed incentives to not work harder because:
- Risked losing benefits attached to AFDC that one's new place of employment might not have had.
- New pay check might have been smaller than one's welfare check once taxes are removed.
Did not promote additional responsibility for family income (seen as an important part of earned income), because you could always count on the check in the mail.

These also describe other welfare programs, such as Social Security (United States).

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