In March 1995, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Personal Responsibility Act (H.R. 4), part of the House Republican Contract with America. The bill would move primary responsibility for child and family programs to states and communities, reduce federal spending, and consolidate programs into block grants for child care, child nutrition, child welfare, and temporary assistance to needy families. Converting entitlements into lump-sum block grants is a fundamental shift in federal and state assistance to families. For the purpose of informing congressional and state-level decision making, the 11 essays in this report present a wide spectrum of alternative views about the implications of these policies for all levels of government, for education and human services professionals, and for the nation's children and families. Six principal topics addressed throughout the essays in the report are: (1) to what extent the proposed block grants will provide state and local governments and communities greater administrative flexibility, and what challenges, problems, and opportunities the proposals present; (2) what changes the proposals will make in eligibility; (3) the implications of the shift from entitlements to block grants for present programs, and the effects of this shift on children, families, and communities, as well as on the government agencies administering these programs; (4) how proposed reductions in federal funding will affect state and local capacities to deal with needs of families and children; (5) whether the proposals establish accountability systems to ensure funds are used according to congressional intent and achieve positive results; and (6) whether the proposals maintain an adequate social safety net and offer appropriate protection for vulnerable groups. An initial section provides a summary of the bill prepared by the Congressional Research Service. (TM)