The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (PRWORA) was a comprehensive welfare reform law signed by President Clinton that fundamentally reshaped U.S. social welfare policy. Its primary purpose was to promote personal responsibility, reduce dependency on government assistance, and encourage work among welfare recipients. Key changes included replacing the Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) entitlement program with the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant program, which imposed time limits on benefits (typically 5 years lifetime), work requirements, and greater state flexibility in administering funds. It also reformed food stamps, child care, child support enforcement, and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) programs. The law overhauled federal assistance programs and had significant impact: it reduced welfare caseloads by over 50% in the late 1990s amid economic growth, but critics argue it increased poverty rates for some families, particularly single mothers, and created barriers for the most disadvantaged due to strict sanctions and inadequate support services.