[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 93 (Friday, June 21, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6671-S6672]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       BIPARTISAN WELFARE REFORM

 Mr. HARKIN. Mr. President, a couple of days ago the Mason City 
Globe-Gazette in my State of Iowa published an excellent editorial 
calling on national policymakers to put partisan politics aside in 
order to pass bipartisan welfare reform. I couldn't agree more.
  Over the past 3 years I have talked time and time again about the 
need to enact bipartisan welfare reform which demands responsibility 
from day one, requires work and releases welfare families from the 
cycle of dependency. The Iowa family investment program provides us 
with an effective model for achieving these goals. Since Iowa began 
implementing the welfare reforms in October 1993, the number of people 
working has almost doubled, the welfare caseload had declined, and 
welfare costs are down. I call that a triple play.
  Those are good reasons to look at the Iowa experience as we craft 
legislation, but I commend the Iowa experience to my colleagues for 
another reason. In 1993, Iowa enacted sweeping changes to the welfare 
system and did so with very strong bipartisan support. In fact, the 
Iowa plan received only 1 dissenting vote from the 150-member 
Democratically controlled general assembly and was signed into law by 
our Republican Governor. It shows that it is possible to work together 
on welfare reform and the State of Iowa is better because of it.
  In 1994 I sought to take a page from the Iowa play book and went to 
work with my Republican colleague from Missouri, Senator Kit Bond to 
develop bipartisan welfare reform legislation modeled on innovations 
occurring in our respective States. The result was the first bipartisan 
welfare reform legislation in that session of Congress. The bill was 
reintroduced again last year.
  For the most part partisan wrangling prevailed in 1995. There were a 
few instances of bipartisan cooperation, but they were quickly 
overtaken by political gamesmanship.
  There is one lesson to be learned from the past year and half--
confrontation and partisanship is a prescription for failure. The only 
way we can truly accomplish welfare reform this year is to stop the 
political games and join forces across the aisle to craft bipartisan 
welfare reform which accomplishes the goals that the American people 
support--a welfare system that puts people to work and gets them off 
public assistance quickly and permanently.
  Mr. President, I ask that the text of the editorial be printed in the 
Record, and urge my colleagues to hear its message.
  The editorial follows:

        [From the Mason City (IA) Globe-Gazette, June 18, 1996]

       Reforming Welfare and Partisan Politics Should be Separate

       It's true that in many cases, public opinion changes faster 
     than the politicians.
       That's certainly the case with welfare reform, according to 
     a recent Associated Press poll.
       The poll shows that most Americans favor converting welfare 
     into a work program and that half are ready to pay more taxes 
     to make jobs available.

[[Page S6672]]

       The poll also shows that most Americans wish to limit 
     welfare funds to single mothers, and to put single mothers on 
     a work plan.
       Those types of plans are being tested in several states, 
     including Iowa and Wisconsin. The reform agenda is clogged, 
     however, in the Washington political system.
       A welfare system that puts people back to work, and aims to 
     get them off welfare is a good idea. The only exception that 
     should be added is that the system include some compassion.
       One of the reasons welfare reform hasn't taken off in 
     Washington has to do with political posturing.
       Both Democrats and Republicans are turning the debate into 
     a class issue. That's not where the issue belongs.
       For example, both Democrats and Republicans make a major 
     issue out of single mothers. Truthfully, however, single 
     mothers make up only a small percentage of the welfare 
     recipients.
       Both sides also talk about welfare recipients as if they 
     spend their lives on the dole. The truth, however, is that 
     most welfare recipients move in and out of the system. A 
     small percentage spend an extended amount of time on welfare.
       A welfare reform plan that includes work or schooling 
     instead of hand-outs is a good idea. Limiting welfare 
     recipients to two years of benefits is also an improvement.
       Both Democrats and Republicans have said they would support 
     plans similar to those currently in use here and in 
     Wisconsin.
       But nothing will really happen until highly partisan 
     politics are removed from the picture.

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