[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 65 (Monday, May 20, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E860-E861]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY, WORK, AND FAMILY PROMOTION ACT OF 2002

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                           HON. EARL POMEROY

                            of north dakota

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 16, 2002

  Mr. POMEROY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to say that I will be voting 
for H.R. 4737, the majority's plan for reauthorizing the welfare 
program, but doing so with some reluctance. We have made significant 
progress in reducing the welfare rolls since Congress authorized 
Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, TANF, in 1996, and we must 
build on those successes as we reauthorize this program. However, we 
must not ignore the important lessons learned since 1996.
  H.R. 4737 is founded on the appropriate philosophy of time-limited 
assistance and mandated annually increasing levels of work 
participation by welfare recipients. I strongly support this approach 
to providing assistance--we don't just offer handouts, we promote self-
sufficiency through work, and we offer assistance for a defined amount 
of time. I believe this combination of progressing milestones, 
assistance with an end in sight, and work requirements is a good 
formula for success in reducing poverty. The North Dakota Department of 
Human Services shares this sentiment, stating their support for 
``keeping work the primary focus of TANF reauthorization.''
  However, Mr. Speaker, I want my colleagues in Congress and my 
constituents to know that I believe the majority plan falls short in a 
couple of key areas and that I plan to work to correct these 
shortcomings as the legislation moves forward. Specifically, I want to 
see improvements in the areas of job training and child care. We must 
be realistic in setting goals for reducing poverty, and this can best 
be done by providing beneficiaries better access to skills and 
resources that will help them permanently escape poverty. I support 
providing substantially greater resources for child care to help states 
and welfare recipients meet the work requirements in this legislation. 
It just makes sense that if we are going to expect more hours at work 
from beneficiaries, then we should also expect to make available the 
necessary child care resources to allow beneficiaries to meet those 
higher standards. Likewise, if we expect welfare recipients to move off 
assistance and become self-sufficient, then we should equip them with 
the training and skills they need by encouraging job training and 
vocational education. H.R. 4737 does not go far enough to this end.
  Providing states with greater discretion and flexibility to determine 
the best mix of activities needed to move recipients toward self-
sufficiency should also be a key component of this plan, and I think it 
is inadequate in that regard. Flexibility to the States is very 
important because one size does not fit all in welfare reform and what 
works well in California may not work at all in North Dakota. Welfare 
policy must recognize these differences by providing discretion and 
flexibility to the state agencies that will ultimately implement this 
policy. We have to correct these deficiencies, and I am confident we 
can do that by working with the Senate before this bill becomes law.
  Mr. Speaker, common sense dictates that by removing hurdles to job 
training and education, by providing better access to child care, and 
by providing flexibility to those who will implement this policy, we 
greatly enhance the potential for welfare recipients to achieve self-
sufficiency. I will vote in favor of H.R. 4737, but I urge my 
colleagues to join me in making these important improvements as the 
legislation moves to the Senate.

[[Page E861]]



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