[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 68 (Thursday, May 23, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E893]
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. BOB ETHERIDGE

                           of north carolina

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 16, 2002

  Mr. ETHERIDGE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in opposition to H.R. 4737, 
the Republican welfare reform reauthorization bill and in support of 
the Democratic substitute.
  The landmark welfare reform law enacted in 1996 put people to work 
and reduced the number of those who depend on public assistance. 
Congress should build on that success in further reforming welfare 
today.
  A good welfare bill must have three components to replace welfare 
with work successfully. It must provide States with sufficient 
resources to administer welfare initiatives. It must give recipients 
access to education and job training. And finally, a good welfare bill 
must address the most difficult obstacle to getting and keeping a good 
job, childcare. Regrettably, H.R. 4737 fails to meet these requirements 
on all accounts.
  I strongly support putting people to work to help them obtain self-
sufficiency. Unfortunately, while the Republican bill requires more 
work hours, H.R. 4737 does not provide additional funding to the States 
to help them implement these additional work requirements. According to 
the Congressional Budget Office, it will cost $8-11 billion to comply 
with these new provisions. North Carolina alone would have to spend 
$222 million in order to meet the requirements of the new welfare 
reform bill. North Carolina, like many States, is in the midst of a 
severe budget crunch. Mr. Speaker, where will North Carolina find the 
funds to carry out this unfunded mandate?
  Welfare reform should not limit a person's opportunity to succeed and 
care for their families. But that's what the Republican bill does. 
Under the Republican welfare bill education initiatives that allow 
welfare recipients to take community college classes or obtain their 
GED are eliminated. That's unacceptable. As the former Superintendent 
of North Carolina's public schools, I understand how important 
education is to finding and keeping a good job in the 21st Century. 
Education, indeed life-long education, is the key to a successful 
future. Many of the folks who remain on the welfare rolls today are the 
least prepared to enter the workforce. We must provide them with the 
tools they need to lift themselves and their families out of poverty.
  The Republican bill also requires parents to work ten more hours per 
week, yet it does not provide enough resources for childcare. Finding 
quality childcare is one of the most daunting challenges with which 
welfare recipients must contend. Good childcare helps young children 
develop and keeps older children in positive, productive environments. 
It keeps children off the streets while their parents are at work. This 
is common sense. If you require folks to spend more time working, you 
must give them an avenue for caring for their children. In my State, we 
have over 25,000 children on the State's childcare waiting list. North 
Carolina's sons and daughters require funding for childcare. 
Unfortunately, H.R. 4737 falls to provide adequate childcare funding.
  I support the Democratic substitute to H.R. 4737. Our plan also 
requires more work hours, but our plan provides States with the 
necessary resources to make these welfare initiatives work. It allows 
States to count education and job training as a work related activity, 
so welfare recipients prepare to get good jobs and permanently leave 
the welfare rolls. And this plan invests significant resources for 
childcare.
  Mr. Speaker, I grew up in rural, eastern North Carolina. I know what 
it means to be poor, and I understand first hand the value of hard 
work. Welfare reform should help lift families out of poverty to become 
self-sufficient. H.R. 4737 will not work. It is reform for politics 
sake and a bad bill for North Carolina and those across the nation who 
need help the most.
  I urge my colleagues to oppose H.R. 4737 and support the Democratic 
substitute.

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