Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and Social Services Block Grant (SSBG) Protected (For Now)

The House Ways and Means Committee released their sweeping tax bill as part of the FY 2026 budget reconciliation process in advance of today's markup and discussion of the bill. We are happy to share that following outreach from advocates and constituents, the bill does not currently include cuts to Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) or the elimination of the Social Services Block Grant (SSBG). Generations United has been mobilizing our networks of intergenerational and grandfamilies advocates to share the value of TANF and SSBG for children, families, and older adults across the country.

Thank you for your advocacy! Your voice made a meaningful impact to achieve this important step. We hope that you will take a moment to celebrate this good news. However, we need to stay vigilant as cuts to TANF and SSBG could still end up in a later version of the House or Senate bills.

Congress is still considering deep cuts to Medicaid, SNAP & more. Your Members of Congress need to hear from you!

Medicaid and SNAP are a lifeline for many children, youth, and older adults. Cuts to these key federal programs will shift cost burdens onto state and local governments and result in reduced support for community programs and families.

It is important that your Members of Congress hear from you about how Medicaid, SNAP, and other federal programs are critical to your family and others in your community.

Sample Messages for Your Advocacy

“I am calling because I am a grandparent raising my grandchild and I am concerned about how cuts to Medicaid and SNAP would affect families like mine. I urge [Senator/Rep X] to protect these critical supports for kinship families.” 

“I am calling because I run [program name], a program that helps children and older adults in my community, and I am concerned about how cuts to Medicaid and SNAP would harm them. I urge [Senator/Rep X] to protect these critical supports for your constituents.” 

Our friends at the Child Welfare League of America (CWLA) have created a tool to make it easy to send emails to your Members of Congress. Email your members and tell them to protect Medicaid here.

About Generations United: For over three decades, Generations United has been the catalyst for policies and practices stimulating cooperation and collaboration among generations, evoking the vibrancy, energy, and sheer productivity that result when people of all ages come together. We believe that we can only be successful in the face of our complex future if generational diversity is regarded as a national asset and fully leveraged. For more information, visit www.gu.org.

Questions? Please email gu@gu.org.