Welfare:
Issues To Consider in Assessing Proposals for Reform
HRD-87-51BR: Published: Feb 19, 1987. Publicly Released: Mar 23, 1987.
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Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed information on: (1) major welfare system design issues; and (2) the sources and income levels of families receiving Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) benefits.
GAO found that: (1) researchers generally evaluated the welfare system by determining whether benefits lifted recipients to the poverty line, but there were problems in determining welfare family income; (2) variations within welfare programs caused recipients in similar circumstances to receive different benefit amounts; (3) service integration could reduce complexity and improve recipient access to programs, eliminate needless bureaucracy, and reduce administrative costs; and (4) although some program funding created incentives for states to shift benefit costs to the federal government, funding arrangements often led to an inequitable distribution of federal funds. GAO also found that: (1) the system had features that reduced incentives for recipients to work; (2) some state work programs had encouraging results, but the long-term prospects of the programs remained uncertain; and (3) concerns about welfare's impact on family stability stemmed largely from AFDC, since most states elected not to provide AFDC to two-parent families when the principal wage earner was unemployed.
Feb 25, 2021
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Low-Income Workers:
Millions of Full-Time Workers in the Private Sector Rely on Federal Health Care and Food Assistance ProgramsGAO-21-410T: Published: Feb 25, 2021. Publicly Released: Feb 25, 2021.
Feb 18, 2021
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Child Care:
Subsidy Eligibility and Receipt, and Wait ListsGAO-21-245R: Published: Feb 18, 2021. Publicly Released: Feb 18, 2021.
Jan 8, 2021
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Fair Labor Standards Act:
Tracking Additional Complaint Data Could Improve DOL's EnforcementGAO-21-13: Published: Dec 9, 2020. Publicly Released: Jan 8, 2021.
Dec 18, 2020
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Amateur Athletes:
The U.S. Center for SafeSport's Response and Resolution Process for Reporting AbuseGAO-21-128R: Published: Dec 18, 2020. Publicly Released: Dec 18, 2020.
Dec 1, 2020
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Military Child Care:
Off-Base Financial Assistance and Wait Lists for On-Base CareGAO-21-127R: Published: Dec 1, 2020. Publicly Released: Dec 1, 2020.
Nov 18, 2020
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Drug Misuse:
Agencies Have Not Fully Identified How Grants That Can Support Drug Prevention Education Programs Contribute to National GoalsGAO-21-96: Published: Nov 18, 2020. Publicly Released: Nov 18, 2020. -
Federal Social Safety Net Programs:
Millions of Full-Time Workers Rely on Federal Health Care and Food Assistance ProgramsGAO-21-45: Published: Oct 19, 2020. Publicly Released: Nov 18, 2020.
Oct 1, 2020
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Child Care Facilities:
Federal Agencies Need to Enhance Monitoring and Collaboration to Help Assure Drinking Water is Safe from LeadGAO-20-597: Published: Sep 28, 2020. Publicly Released: Oct 1, 2020.
Aug 21, 2020
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Federal Employees' Compensation Act:
Comparisons of Benefits in Retirement and Actions Needed to Help Injured Workers Choose Best OptionGAO-20-523: Published: Jul 23, 2020. Publicly Released: Aug 21, 2020.
Aug 13, 2020
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Social Security Disability:
Information on Wait Times, Bankruptcies, and Deaths among Applicants Who Appealed Benefit DenialsGAO-20-641R: Published: Aug 13, 2020. Publicly Released: Aug 13, 2020.
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