[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 62 (Wednesday, May 15, 2002)]
[House]
[Page H2478]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         SUPPORT WELFARE REFORM

  (Mr. PENCE asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. PENCE. Mr. Speaker, I am cursed with a memory full of useless 
information, some of which were the comments made by Democrats in 1996 
when we passed welfare reform.
  Marian Wright Edelman, president of the Children's Defense Fund, said 
the bill was an outrage that would hurt and impoverish millions. The 
Urban Institute predicted welfare reform would push 2.6 million more 
people into poverty. And the National Organization for Women said 12.8 
million people on welfare would risk sinking deeper into poverty.
  We have heard this morning on this floor, Mr. Speaker, the same. 
There they go again. The truth is that the vicious cycle of poverty has 
been broken. There are 2.3 million fewer children living in poverty 
today than before the 1996 welfare reform bill and 4.2 million fewer 
living in poverty across the board. The reality is the 1996 welfare 
reform bill worked. Let us be sure in Congress today to deal and to 
assist the neediest among us by continuing this important reform with 
the welfare bill before the Congress this week.

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