[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 69 (Thursday, May 22, 1997)]
[House]
[Page H3172]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           HELPING WOMEN ON WELFARE TO EARN A COLLEGE DEGREE

  (Ms. WOOLSEY asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Speaker, the budget resolution makes a good start at 
educating more Americans, and that is very good. But at the same time 
we must take this opportunity to help another very important group of 
Americans become educated. I am talking about women who are on welfare, 
women who want to complete their education so they can get off welfare 
and into jobs that pay a livable wage.
  The welfare bill as passed tells these women education is not 
important. It is important for others, but not for them, because 
education is not counted as work in the new welfare law.
  I have introduced a bill, Mr. Speaker, to change that. My bill says 
to women on welfare, ``If you study for your high school degree or your 
college degree or train for a career, we will count that as work.''
  Education must be a top priority for all Americans, particularly for 
single moms who are on welfare. We must count education for welfare 
mothers as work so that they can get their lives together and they can 
earn a livable wage.

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