The following definitions apply to this part:

ACF means the Administration for Children and Families.

Act means the Social Security Act, unless otherwise specified.

Census Bureau methodology means the various methods developed by the Census Bureau for estimating the number and percentage of children in poverty in each State. These methods may include national estimates based on the Current Population Survey; the Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates; the annual demographic programs, including the American Community Survey; or any other programs or methods used by the Census Bureau to estimate poverty. “Children in poverty” means children that live in families with incomes below 100 percent of the Census Bureau's poverty threshold.

Child poverty rate means the percentage of all children in a State or Territory which live in families with incomes below 100 percent of the Census Bureau's poverty threshold.

Date of enactment means calendar year 1996.

MOE means maintenance-of-effort. This is a provision in section 409(a)(7) of the Social Security Act that requires States to maintain a certain level of spending based on historical (i.e., FY 1994) expenditure levels.

SAIPE means the Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates, a methodology developed by the Census Bureau to obtain more accurate estimates of poverty and income (including the number and percentage of children in poverty) at the State and county level between decennial censuses.

SSP-MOE means a separate State program operated outside of the TANF program for which the expenditure of State funds may count for MOE purposes.

State means each of the 50 States of the United States and the District of Columbia.

TANF means the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program under sections 401 through 419 of the Social Security Act, as enacted by the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996, sections 101-116 of Pub. L. 104-193 (42 U.S.C. 601-619).

Territories means American Samoa, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, and the United States Virgin Islands.

Tribal TANF program means a TANF program developed by an eligible Tribe, Tribal organization, or consortium of Tribes, and approved by us under section 412 of the Act.

We (and any other first person plural pronouns) means the Secretary of Health and Human Services or any of the following individuals and organizations acting in an official capacity on the Secretary's behalf: The Assistant Secretary for Children and Families, the Regional Administrators for Children and Families, the Department of Health and Human Services, and the Administration for Children and Families.