W SERIES, AMERICA'S SAFETY NET ON THE COMPLICATED WEB OF PROGRAMS MEANT TO HELP AMERICANS IN NEED.

WE WILL TAKE AN IN-DEPTH LOOK AT THE DIFFERENT FORMS OF WELFARE AND THE U.S.

BUT FIRST WITH OUR PRODUCER WE WILL SPEND SOME TIME EXPLAINING WHAT THE AMERICAN SOCIAL SAFETY NET IS.

WHO IT SERVES AND HOW IT CAME TO LOOK AWAY THAT IT DOES TODAY.

THE YEAR WAS 1935.

THE U.S. WAS STILL STRUGGLING THROUGH THE GREAT DEPRESSION.

A QUARTER OF THE POPULATION WAS JUST UNEMPLOYED, A LEVEL NOT SEEN BEFORE AND HAS NOT SEEN SINCE.

THAT AUGUST, AS PART OF HIS NEW DEAL, FRANKLIN ROOSEVELT SIGNED THE SOCIAL SECURITY ACT INTO LAW.

IN ADDITION TO THE RETIREMENT BENEFITS IT IS KNOWN FOR COME OF THE LAW LAID A FOUNDATION FOR THE GOVERNMENT'S ROLE IN PROGRAMS LIKE UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE AND CASH ASSISTANCE FOR FAMILIES.

ROOSEVELT CALLED IT A CORNERSTONE IN A STRUCTURE BEING BUILT BUT NOT COMPLETE.

>> WE HAVE TRIED TO FRAME A LAW WHICH WILL GIVE SOME MEASURE OF PROTECTION TO THE AVERAGE CITIZEN AND HIS FAMILY.

GEOFF: IN THE NEARLY 90 YEARS SINCE ROOSEVELT SIGNED THE LAW POLITICIANS IN WASHINGTON AND ACROSS THE COUNTRY HAVE ARGUED ABOUT THE BEST WAYS TO HELP AMERICANS THAT LIVE IN AND NEAR POVERTY.

THE DISAGREEMENTS HAVE RANGED FROM THE DOLLAR AMOUNTS OF THE ASSISTANCE TO HOW MUCH IT SHOULD BE TIED TO WORK REQUIREMENTS AND HOW POVERTY ITSELF IS DEFINED AND MEASURED.

DURING HIS STATE OF THE UNION IN 1964, PRESIDENT JOHNSON ANNOUNCED AN UNCONDITIONAL WAR ON POVERTY IN AMERICA.

>> OUR AIM IS NOT ONLY TO RELIEVE THE SYMPTOM OF POVERTY BUT TO CURE IT AND TWO ABOVE ALL PREVENT IT.

GEOFF: JOHNSON'S WAR INCLUDED THE CREATION OF MEDICARE AND MEDICAID.

A PERMANENT FOODSTUFF PROGRAM KNOWN AS SNAP AND THE EXPANSION OF SOCIAL SECURITY.

AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME, THE GOVERNMENT CAME UP WITH A UNIFORM WAY TO MEASURE POVERTY.

COMPARING A FAMILY'S INCOME AGAINST A NATIONAL THRESHOLD.

IN 1959 POVERTY RATE SAT AT 22%.

IN 1973, 11%.

THERE IT WAS IN 2022.

WITH ALMOST 40 MILLION AMERICANS IN POVERTY.

THE MEASURE IS CONSIDERED IMPERFECT.

SOME SAY THE POVERTY LINE, $31,000 FOR A FAMILY OF FOUR IS TOO LOW.

THERE ARE OTHER MEASURES THAT ACCOUNT FOR THINGS LIKE GEOGRAPHY, COST-OF-LIVING, CONSUMPTION OR HOW MUCH GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE A FAMILY GETS NO MATTER HOW IT IS MEASURED, POVERTY IS OFTEN MISUNDERSTOOD SAYS A CORNELL UNIVERSITY PROFESSOR.

>> WE THINK ABOUT POVERTY AS MORE LIMITED THAN IT ACTUALLY IS.

AND BECAUSE OF THAT, WE CAN TELL OURSELVES THAT PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY ARE VERY DIFFERENT THAN PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT.

AB THERE ARE SOME THINGS WRONG WITH THEM.

A REALITY IS THAT IF WE TAKE A LIFE COURSE PERSPECTIVE, A MAJORITY OF AMERICANS, SOMETHING APPROACHING 60%, WILL EXPERIENCE POVERTY AT SOME POINT IN THEIR LIFETIME.

MOST PEOPLE -- GEOFF: 60% OR HIGHER.

IS THE SOCIAL SAFETY NET ADEQUATE?

>> WHAT I WOULD SAY FROM MY PERSPECTIVE IS A RESOUNDING NO.

>> I WOULD ANSWER YES.

GEOFF: A SENIOR FELLOW AT THE CONSERVATIVE AMERICAN ENTERPRISE INSTITUTE HAS A DIFFERENT VIEW.

HE CREATED THIS CHART OF PROGRAMS FOD AID TO HOUSING TO HEALTH CARE THAT SHOWS THE COMPLEXITY OF THE SAFETY NET.

HE SAYS IT CAN BE DIFFICULT TO TRACK THE SUCCESS OF SPECIFIC PROGRAMS BUT -- >> IF YOU LOOK AT NUANCED POVERTY MEASURES THAT COUNT THE ASSISTANCE THAT FAMILIES HAVE FROM WORK, RELATIVES, OWNING THEIR OWN HOMES, THE LEVEL OF POVERTY AND THE U.S. HAS DROPPED TO A LOW LEVEL.

GEOFF: AS A CONGRESSIONAL STAFFER HE HELPED DRAFT THE LANDMARK WELFARE REFORM LAW IN THE 1990'S.

THE LEGISLATION FOLLOWED YEARS OF ANTI-WELFARE SENTIMENT DRIVEN BY PERCEPTIONS OF RAMPANT ABUSE.

IN HIS PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGNS, RONALD REAGAN POPULARIZED THE STEREOTYPE.

BY 1994, THE NUMBER OF AMERICANS RECEIVING CASH ASSISTANCE REACHED ITS PEAK AT 14 MILLION.

IN 1996 AFTER A PLEDGE TO END WELFARE AS WE KNOW IT, PRESIDENT CLINTON STRUCK A DEAL WITH REPUBLICANS IN CONGRESS.

IT REPLACE THE CASH ASSISTANCE PROGRAM WITH TEMPORARY ASSISTANCE FOR NEEDY FAMILIES.

IT IMPOSED TIME LIMITS AND WORK REQUIREMENTS AND MADE STATES RESPONSIBLE FOR DISTRIBUTING MONEY.

THE NUMBER OF FAMILIES ON WELFARE PLUMMETED.

IN THE YEARS SINCE, DEBATES HAVE CONTINUED OVER THE SIZE AND SHAPE OF THE SAFETY NET.

>> I MUCH MORE SUPPORTIVE OF A WORK BASED SAFETY NET INCLUDING BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE SAY THEY WANT.

PEOPLE DO NOT UNDERSTAND THE AMERICAN DREAM AS SOMETHING WHERE THE GOVERNMENT GIVES YOU A BIG ENOUGH CHECK THAT YOU CAN AVOID WORKING.

THEY UNDERSTAND IT AS HELPING PEOPLE GO TO WORK AND LIFT THEIR FAMILY.

>> IT IS IMPORTANT TO MAKE THE SAFETY NET ABOUT WHAT IT IS ABOUT WITCHES SUPPORTING PEOPLE AND -- IN TIMES OF NEED.

WHEN WE TRY TO MAKE IT ABOUT MAKING PEOPLE WORK, CAN END UP NOT PROVIDING THEM WITH THE SUPPORT THEY NEED, IRONICALLY WITH THE SUPPORT THEY NEED TO WORK.

OFTEN THEY WANT TO DO THAT BECAUSE THERE IS SOME SORT OF PRINCIPAL.

WE WANT TO KNOW THAT PEOPLE ARE NOT MOOCHING OFF THE STATE OR NOT WORKING SUFFICIENTLY HARD.

GEOFF: THE BENEFITS ARE TAXPAYER - -ARE TAXPAYER FUNDED.

>> BUT TO BE FAIR, PEOPLE LIVING NEAR POVERTY PAY TAXES ALSO.

MANY OF US ARE PAYING INTO THE SAFETY NET SYSTEM AND MANY OF US WILL DRAW OUT OF IT IN OUR TIME OF NEED.

GEOFF: BEFORE THE PANDEMIC 30% OF THE POPULATION USED AT LEAST ONE OF THE COUNTRIES HE SAFETY NET PROGRAMS.

ALTOGETHER THE PROGRAMS COST THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WELL OVER 700 BILLION DOLLARS AND THAT DOES NOT INCLUDE ALL THE MONEY FOR THINGS LIKE THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT WHICH HELPS TENS OF MILLIONS OF AMERICANS ACCESS HEALTH CARE.

PRESIDENT OBAMA SIGNED IT IN 2010 AND IT REPRESENTED THE LARGEST EXPANSION OF THE SAFETY NET IN DECADES.

DESPITE WELFARE'S REACH, ALMOST HALF OF AMERICAN HOUSEHOLDS STRUGGLE TO MAKE ENDS MEET AND THE NUMBER IS HIGHER AMONG BLACK AND BROWN HOUSEHOLDS.

OVER THE COMING WEEKS, WE WILL BRING YOU THE STORIES OF THOSE FAMILIES AND SHOW YOU WHAT IT IS LIKE TO NAVIGATE AMERICA'S INCREASINGLY COMPLEX SAFETY NET.

WE EXPLORE WHITE UP TO HALF OF THE PEOPLE ELIGIBLE FOR BENEFITS NOT RECEIVE THEM.

>> IT IS VERY TIME-CONSUMING.

THEY WANT TO KNOW EVERY LITTLE PENNY AND CHANGE IN YOUR CIRCUMSTANCE.

AND ANYTHING COULD AFFECT YOU.

GEOFF: WHY IT IS SO HARD TO ACCESS HOUSING ASSISTANCE, HOW BENEFITS EXPANDED DRAMATICALLY DURING THE PANDEMIC AND PROPERLY - - AND POVERTY PLUNGED ONLY TO REBOUND WHEN THE POLICIES EXPIRED.

>> I FELT LIKE SOMEONE FELT OUR PAIN AND THEN THEY FORGOT ALL OF IT AND WE WERE HUNG OUT TO DRY.

GEOFF: AND WHAT WORKS AND DOES NOT WHEN IT COMES TO ALLEVIATING FOOD INSECURITY NATIONWIDE.

>> I WAS DIGGING THROUGH MY PURSE TO FIND TWO PENNIES TO PAY THE REST OF MY SNAP.

I FELT LIKE TRASH.

LIKE I AM JUST NOTHING TO THIS COUNTRY.

GEOFF: THIS AS PBS NEWSHOUR HAS OUR SPECIAL SERIES, AMERICA'S SAFETY NET.

AND YOU CAN WATCH MORE STORIES ON THE SAFETY NET ON MONDAYS ON THE NEWSHOUR AND C