TANF Emergency Response and Recovery Act of 2005
Public Law 109-68 · H.R. 3672 · 109th Congress · began in the House
Signed by George W. Bush (R) on Sep 21, 2005 · Social Welfare
Sponsor: Rep. Jim McCrery (R-LA-4)
Cosponsors (13): Rep. William Jefferson, Rep. Richard Baker,
Passage votes
- HouseVoice vote
- SenateUnanimous consent
Data notes
The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
TANF Emergency Response and Recovery Act of 2005 - (Sec. 2) Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to pay each state family assistance grant payable for the first quarter of FY2006, as soon as practicable after the enactment of this Act.
Provides that activities authorized by part A (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) (TANF) of title IV of the Social Security Act shall continue through December 31, 2005, in the manner authorized for FY2005. Makes necessary appropriations for such purpose. Provides that grants and payments may be made pursuant to this authority through the first quarter of FY2006 at the same level as provided through the first quarter of 2005. Extends the National Random Sample Study of Child Welfare and Child Welfare Waiver Authority through December 31, 2005.
(Sec. 3) Provides that, between the enactment of this Act and August 31, 2006, a state shall be considered a needy state for purposes of the TANF Contingency Fund for State Welfare Programs if: (1) cash benefits under the state TANF program have been provided on a short-term, nonrecurring basis to a family which has resided in another state that includes an area for which a major disaster has been declared as a result of Hurricane Katrina, and has traveled (not necessarily directly) to the state from such other state as a result of the hurricane; and (2) the state has determined that the family is not receiving cash benefits from any program funded under part A of any other state. Declares that no state match is required for such state payments.
(Sec. 4) Provides that between the enactment of this Act and the end of FY2006: (1) the states of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama shall be considered eligible for federal loans for State Welfare Programs; and (2) the cumulative dollar amount of all loans made to such a state by reason of this Act shall not exceed 20% of the state family assistance grant payable to the state for FY2006. Prohibits the imposition of a penalty against Louisiana, Mississippi, or Alabama for failure to repay such a loan or make any interest payment on it.
(Sec. 5) Authorizes a state or tribe to use a grant made under the TANF program for any fiscal year to provide, without fiscal year limitation, any benefit or service that may be provided under the state or tribal TANF program to support needy families affected by Hurricane Katrina.
(Sec. 6) Declares that benefits provided on a short-term, nonrecurring basis under a state TANF program, between the enactment of this Act and the end of FY2006, to meet a subsistence need of a family resulting from Hurricane Katrina shall not be considered assistance for purposes of mandatory work requirements and the five-year limit on assistance.
(Sec. 7) Prohibits the Secretary from imposing a penalty on Louisiana, Mississippi, or Alabama for failure to comply with any provision of the TANF program between the enactment of this Act and the end of FY2006, if the failure resulted from Hurricane Katrina or reasonable conduct of the state in addressing needs of Hurricane Katrina victims.
(Sec. 8) Designates each amount provided in this Act (other than in Sec. 2) as an emergency requirement exempt from the budget enforcement requirements of H.Con. Res. 95 (109th Congress).
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Data notes
A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.
Related bills
The record lists no related bills.
Data notes
Related bills are identified by the Congressional Research Service, the House and the Senate: companion and identical bills, bills with similar text, bills that were folded into this law, and rules that brought it to the floor. A bill that is itself a public law in this site’s data links here; the others link to Congress.gov.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 16 actions.
- Sep 21, 2005Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 109-68.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Sep 19, 2005FloorFloor · Presented to President.
- FloorFloor · Message on Senate action sent to the House.
- Sep 16, 2005FloorFloor · Message on Senate action sent to the House.
- Sep 15, 2005FloorFloor · Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.
- OtherOther · Cleared for White House.
- Sep 8, 2005FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- FloorFloor · On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.
- FloorFloor · DEBATE - The House resumed debate on H.R. 3672.
- FloorFloor · DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 3672.
- FloorFloor · Considered under suspension of the rules.
- FloorFloor · Mr. Thomas moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
- CommitteeCommittee · Received in the Senate, read twice.
- Sep 7, 2005CommitteeCommittee · Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on the Budget, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in House
Data notes
Every action the Library of Congress lists for the bill, from introduction to signing, plus the dated committee hearings. The source lists many steps twice (the chamber’s own entry and the Library of Congress copy, or a presidential and a became-law entry with the same words); those are shown once. Amendments are listed in their own section.
Amendments
No amendments to this bill are on record.
Data notes
Amendments offered to this bill in either chamber, as the Library of Congress records them: each with a status read from its last recorded step: agreed to, rejected, withdrawn, ruled out of order, fell with another amendment, or offered with no vote recorded (most Senate amendments are only ever offered). The wording of each amendment is the source’s. Amendments to amendments and amendments to other bills are not listed.
Official record
The bill’s full text is on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.