In general, a major goal of clinton's 1996 personal responsibility and work opportunity reconciliation act was to:

To move welfare recipients from continual dependency on public assistance and into the workforce.

The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act serves as an example of how President Bill Clinton favored some centrist policies and cooperation between Democrats and Republicans.  Reforming welfare was a priority of the "Contract with America" programs Republicans had pledged during the 1994 congressional campaigns.  The program also aligned with Democratic candidate Bill Clinton's 1992 campaign promise to "end welfare as we have come to know it."

A. southerners underestimated republicans eagerness to end slavery.