TANF EMERGENCY FUND EXTENSION HAS WIDE SUPPORT

 Mark Zandi, Chief Economist at Moody’s Analytics, noted that “the economy is again gaining traction, but the job market continues to lag. Businesses are no longer cutting payrolls, but they have yet to resume hiring in a significant way. Unemployment and underemployment, which surged during the recession, remain extraordinarily high and are unlikely to fall meaningfully soon.” He recommended that Congress extend and add funds to the TANF Emergency Fund. He noted that the timing of the Fund’s slated expiration in September 2010 “is particularly inopportune given that unemployment will likely still be in or near double digits, and more workers will have exhausted their benefits. Extending the program for another year until unemployment is clearly moving lower seems appropriate.”