# 119-hr-2397: Targeting TANF to Families in Need Act

119-hr-2397, Targeting TANF to Families in Need Act, is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Rep. Smith, Adrian [R-NE-3] (R-NE); status introduced; PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-07-25).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-2397
- As of: 2026-07-25
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 119-hr-2397
- Congress: 119
- Title: Targeting TANF to Families in Need Act
- Status: introduced
- Introduced: 2025-03-27
- Sponsor: Rep. Smith, Adrian [R-NE-3] (R-NE)
- Cosponsors: 1
- Policy area: Social Welfare
- Touches household money: yes
- Last recorded action: 2026-07-25

## Summary

**Would limit TANF-funded assistance to families with incomes below 200% of the federal poverty guidelines.** The bill would amend the Social Security Act to require states to use TANF grants only for families whose income is less than twice the poverty line as updated under the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1981. The change would take effect on October 1, 2026.

## Cosponsors (1)

- Rep. Moran, Nathaniel [R-TX-1] (R-TX), 2025-03-27T00:00:00.000Z

## Provisions PRIA read

- TANF help limited to 200% poverty: mixed, medium. If enacted, states could use federal TANF money only for families with income under 200% of the federal poverty guideline. Families at or above that level would not get services paid with these federal dollars. The income line would follow the federal poverty guidelines that update in the Federal R…

## Related bills

- 119-hr-137: TCJA Permanency Act
- 119-hr-6500: Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2027
- 119-hr-833: Educational Choice for Children Act of 2025
- 119-hr-2548: Sanctioning Russia Act of 2025
- 119-hr-1262: Mikaela Naylon Give Kids a Chance Act
- 119-hr-21: Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act

## Sources
- [119-hr-2397 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/2397)

## Related
- [119-hr-137: TCJA Permanency Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-137)
- [119-hr-6500: Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2027](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-6500)
- [119-hr-833: Educational Choice for Children Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-833)
- [119-hr-2548: Sanctioning Russia Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-2548)
- [119-hr-1262: Mikaela Naylon Give Kids a Chance Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-1262)
- [119-hr-21: Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-21)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-2397 (as of 2026-07-25).