[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 62 (Tuesday, May 7, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Page S4780]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          REAL WELFARE REFORM

  Mr. BREAUX. Mr. President, while the discussion has been interesting, 
I want to bring to the attention of my colleagues an article on Sunday 
with reference to the President's statement on welfare reform, which I 
think is very significant. While the Congress tries to come together on 
a welfare reform plan, it is very clear that the administration is 
trying to move forward on its own to get things done which are real 
reform. He said--and I totally agree--``We have to make it clear that a 
baby doesn't give you a right, and won't give you the money, to leave 
home and drop out of school.'' The President said that in his weekly 
radio address.

  The Executive order that followed up on that statement, I think, is 
real welfare reform. What it does is simply require, through Executive 
order, without waiting on the Congress, that States require that teen 
mothers, who are having children, stay at home or live at home in adult 
supervision, or go to school, and that if they do neither, their 
welfare benefits would no longer be allowed to continue.
  With this executive action, all 50 States will now be required to 
keep teen mothers, who are on welfare and who have children, in school; 
and that for the first time, the administration will now be able to--
and intends to--audit all of those States to make sure that, in fact, 
they are doing that.
  In addition, all 50 States will now be able to provide what are, in 
essence, rewards to encourage those who do stay in school, but also 
sanctions for those who do not. Teen mothers in all 50 States, who have 
dropped out of school, will now have to sign personal responsibility 
plans requiring them to get a job or go to school.
  The whole idea behind this is self-sufficiency. It is clear that the 
whole system has not worked. In addition, all 50 States will be 
encouraged to require minor mothers to live at home, or with a 
responsible adult, in order to receive assistance.
  Mr. President, it is clear, and we all know that about half of all 
welfare recipients in our country have their first child as a teenager. 
If we are really talking about true welfare reform, we have to 
encourage good behavior, staying in school, or living with an adult 
family, a mother and father, or a mother, or adult supervisor, to help 
provide the training for that person.
  This action by the President is part of an ongoing effort to try and 
reform welfare. The administration has given welfare waivers to allow 
States to be creative to 37 of our 50 States, allowing them to impose 
tough time limits and tough, new work requirements. The whole idea is 
to be tough on work but good for children. It is high time that the 
Congress enact real welfare reform so that we do not have to continue 
to do it from an administrative standpoint.
  But this was a very significant decision. I applaud the 
administration and President for taking it. Last, I think we are making 
some real progress in putting the welfare system back on the right 
track so that people will no longer have to be dependent on it.
  It is clear, the President said once again, that having a child does 
not give you a right; it really gives you additional responsibility. 
This step on the part of the President will ensure that that 
responsibility on the part of teen mothers, working with adult 
supervision and going to school, is going to bring about real welfare 
reform.
  I yield the floor.

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