What legislation passed in 1996 aimed to reform welfare in the United States?

The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act, passed in 1996, is the correct choice as it represented a major overhaul of the welfare system in the United States. This legislation aimed to reduce dependency on government assistance by implementing work requirements for welfare recipients, encouraging employment among those receiving aid, and establishing limits on the duration of welfare benefits. It replaced the Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) program with Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), which emphasized personal responsibility and aimed to promote self-sufficiency.

The significance of this legislation also lies in its movement away from entitlement programs and towards a system that tied benefits to work, reflecting a shift in social policy during the 1990s. As a consequence, the Act has had lasting implications for welfare policy and reform in the U.S.

Other options listed do not pertain to welfare reform: the Affordable Care Act focuses on health care reform; the Social Security Reform Act relates to Social Security and pensions; and the Welfare-to-Work Act, while related, is not the primary legislation associated with welfare reform from that year.