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S. 3522: Coronavirus TANF Expansion Act

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S. 3522: Coronavirus TANF Expansion Act

116th Congress · introduced 2020-03-18 · Social Welfare · Latest: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

  1. Where it came from: introduced 2020-03-18 · official record
  2. Who proposed it: Sen. Cotton, Tom [R-AR] · what a sponsor is
  3. What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
  4. Where it stands now: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
  5. If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Coronavirus TANF Expansion Act

Plain summary

Coronavirus TANF Expansion Act This bill reauthorizes through December 31, 2020, the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program and expands TANF eligibility and assistance to respond to the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) public health emergency. Specifically, states may (1) allow certain families that have incomes of up to 400% of the federal poverty level and that have experienced reduced incomes because of COVID-19 to receive TANF assistance, and (2) provide additional cash payments to these and other TANF recipients. The Department of Health and Human Services must increase state and tribal TANF grants to offset increased expenditures that result from these changes. The bill provides appropriations for this purpose. The bill also suspends TANF work requirements and other conditions during the emergency.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Coronavirus TANF Expansion Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)

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The strongest published arguments

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Alternatives

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Cotton, Tom [R-AR] · 0 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Sponsor's campaign money: Sen. Cotton, Tom [R-AR] reported raising $7.1 million (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (2)
Appropriation
Money a legislature sets aside by law for a specific purpose. Government agencies may spend public money only as it has been appropriated.
Bill
A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Record fed-us-cong116-s3522 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong116 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong116