[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 51 (Tuesday, April 30, 2002)]
[House]
[Page H1750]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      THE REAUTHORIZATION OF TANF

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, as we move towards the 
reauthorization of TANF, and as we look at the whole question, the 
whole issue of welfare reform, I think there are some principles and 
concepts and realities and truisms that we need to deal with.
  First of all, we need to understand that in order for people to move 
from welfare to work, that more education and training is needed and 
necessary, as opposed to more work requirements.
  The 24-hour direct work-related activity that is proposed is too 
strict. The only 16-hour non-direct work-related activity does not 
allow an individual to receive adequate educational or vocational 
training, and does not allow the ability for adequate job training and 
education.
  We need to understand, Mr. Speaker, that education is needed for 
recipients to get off welfare permanently. We need to allow recipients 
the opportunity of 24 months of job training or vocational training, 
and 2 years of degree attainment. That is to suggest that they need to 
be afforded the opportunity to acquire at least an Associate of Arts 
degree.
  Recipients must compete with the lagging economy and the fact that 
more college graduates are now stuck in low-paying jobs. We need to 
understand that recipients need education, education, and education if 
they are to increase the possibility of moving from welfare to work.
  We need to allow for high school diploma attainment, English language 
learner classes, and adult basic education, including adult literacy 
programs. Education and training make a critical difference in 
employability, earnings, and job retention.
  In 1998, 28 percent of TANF recipients worked for substandard pay 
while still qualifying for aid. People leaving welfare earn around 
$6.61 per hour, or from $8,000 to $12,000 a year.

                              {time}  1945

  More education is obviously needed if they are to earn enough to earn 
a decent living. Welfare rolls dropped 22 percent between 1995 and 
1997. However, poverty among families headed by single mothers dropped 
only 1 percent. The reality is that the poor are getting poorer. Many 
must choose between child care and work. We must reduce the extent and 
severity of poverty and promote self-sufficiency among families if we 
are doing anything serious about moving people from welfare to work. 
Child care funding needs to be adjusted for inflation. We must increase 
Federal funding for the child development funds to meet the needs of 
all eligible children. And we must invest enough in child care to make 
a difference. Mothers who work low-wage jobs often do not have benefits 
to leave work when the child is sick or they work conflicting hours. 
The annual cost of child care is $4,000 to $6,000 and can rise as high 
as 10,000. Child care must be an integral part of any effort to move 
people from poverty, from welfare to work.
  So I urge, Mr. Speaker, that as we move towards reauthorization of 
TANF we realize what we are trying to do is to move people not from 
just welfare to work but from poverty to a decent level of living.

                          ____________________