[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 525 Engrossed in House (EH)]


                 In the House of Representatives, U.S.,

                                                    September 19, 2002.
Whereas the 1996 welfare reform law (P.L. 104-193), approved by large bipartisan 
        majorities of the House of Representatives and of the Senate, has 
        delivered dramatic results by promoting record increases in work and 
        earnings among current and former welfare recipients, reducing the 
        number of children in poverty by nearly 3,000,000 and achieving record 
        low rates of child poverty among African-American children and children 
        raised by single mothers, and lifting 3,000,000 families from welfare 
        dependence as part of a decline in national welfare rolls of more than 
        50 percent;
Whereas despite these unprecedented gains, 2,000,000 low-income families remain 
        dependent on welfare, challenging the Congress to build upon that 
        success by putting even more Americans on the path to self-reliance;
Whereas changes to the law are needed to better promote the creation and 
        maintenance of strong two-parent families, including healthy married 
        families, in order to enhance child and family well-being;
Whereas further changes are needed to improve the quality and availability of 
        child care, since the experiences of young children greatly affect their 
        success in school;
Whereas the House of Representatives, on May 16, 2002, passed H.R. 4737, the 
        Personal Responsibility, Work, and Family Promotion Act of 2002, which 
        includes needed enhancements proposed by the President and extends and 
        strengthens reforms for the coming five years;
Whereas H.R. 4737 would provide a total of $170,000,000,000 in Federal and State 
        funds to support work, child care, education, training, and other family 
        needs;
Whereas the Senate has yet to approve legislation to extend the Temporary 
        Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program, the Child Care and 
        Development Block Grant, and Title V Abstinence Education State Block 
        Grant programs as required by September 30, 2002; and
Whereas the failure of the 107th Congress to extend the TANF or child care 
        programs by September 30, 2002, would threaten the opportunities 
        currently available for low-income families and create fiscal 
        uncertainty for States: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Representatives that the 
107th Congress should complete action on and present to the President, prior to 
September 30, 2002, legislation extending and strengthening the successful 1996 
welfare reforms.
            Attest:

                                                                          Clerk.