[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 9 (Thursday, February 7, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E110]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       AMERICA MUST RETURN TO ITS HISTORIC ROLE AS NATION OF HOPE

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                         HON. EARL F. HILLIARD

                               of alabama

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, February 7, 2002

  Mr. HILLIARD. Mr. Speaker, I rise to address the needs of the poor in 
America. We have distorted the meaning and purpose of our programs for 
the poor--our purpose should not be to get people off of public 
assistance, but to assist them in becoming economically secure and 
self-sufficient. When they become self-sufficient, they will be off the 
roles and make an economic contribution to American society. In this 
way, they pay us back for their opportunity.
  At present, the measurement of TANF is in the number of people 
removed from the welfare roles--it should be the number of people who 
have been trained and have become self-sufficient. Any other measure is 
not only inadequate, but self-defeating.
  I have long said that education is the key to the future, and TANF 
absolutely must accept education as an allowable work activity. 
Participation in educational training should ``stop the clock'' on 
expiration of benefits, because the jobs they would get in the future 
would pay society back many times.
  America must return to its historic role as the nation of hope, not 
the nation of dead ends.

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