[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 26 (Wednesday, February 12, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E188-E189]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 INTRODUCTION OF H.R. 4, THE PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY, WORK AND FAMILY 
                         PROMOTION ACT OF 2003

                                 ______
                                 

                     HON. HOWARD P. ``BUCK'' McKEON

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, February 11, 2003

  Mr. McKEON. Mr. Speaker, today, I am pleased to join with several of 
my colleagues in sponsoring H.R. 4, the Personal Responsibility, Work 
and Family Promotion Act of 2003, which would reauthorize the Temporary 
Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant and the Child Care and 
Development Block Grant (CCDBG).
  Last year, the House Education and the Workforce Committee considered 
and passed H.R. 4092, the Working Toward Independence Act, to 
reauthorize the work-related provisions of TANF. The legislation built 
upon the historic welfare reform law passed in 1996--a law that made a 
fundamental shift in policy by encouraging personal responsibility and 
promoting work. For the first time in the history of social welfare 
policy, benefits were tied to work. Because of the principle of ``work 
first'' and a purpose to help people better themselves, a whole new 
culture of personal responsibility was created within the program.
  After merging the remaining sections of TANF into a comprehensive 
package, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 4737, the Personal 
Responsibility, Work and Family Promotion Act of 2002, which was 
substantially the same as the bill that has been introduced today. 
Unfortunately, the Senate did not act on a welfare reauthorization 
bill.
  As such, Congress must again pass a reauthorization bill that builds 
on the success of the 1996 law that has been nothing short of 
remarkable.

[[Page E189]]

  For example, there has been an historic decline in the welfare rolls; 
increases in employment for low-income single mothers, who comprise the 
population most likely to need assistance; and a sustained decline in 
child poverty. Six years ago, the nation's welfare rolls bulged with 
more than 5.1 million individuals and families. Today, the rolls have 
decreased tremendously. Since 1996, over 3 million families have left 
welfare for work. Over 3 million former welfare recipients know the 
satisfaction of earning a day's pay.
  Even with the robust economy of the late 1990s, recent studies 
confirm that welfare reform is largely responsible for the declining 
caseload and increase in work. The law's promotion of work made the 
crucial difference in maximizing opportunities for welfare recipients.
  But there is still work for us to do. Too many families receiving 
assistance are not engaged in activities that will lead to self-
sufficiency. This year, Congress must build upon the success of the 
1996 law by providing additional options for families on welfare to 
move into productive jobs, become self-reliant and obtain independence.

  As the debate goes forward on the best way to increase personal 
responsibility, it is important to remember that the true benefactors 
of welfare reform are young Americans. Because of welfare reform, young 
Americans are able to see their parents get up each morning and earn a 
day's pay. Without this very basic ethic, those young people are at a 
great disadvantage and it becomes difficult for them to escape the 
cycle of poverty in which their families have lived for generations.
  The legislation that is being introduced today, H.R. 4, is based on 
the Administration's proposal and strengthens work rules to ensure that 
all families are engaged in a full week of work and other activities 
that will lead to self-sufficiency. Families will be permitted to 
combine real work with education and training to help recipients 
advance in their jobs. In addition, states will need to have plans 
achieving the work-related goals of TANF. States will be encouraged to 
coordinate their TANF work programs with the One-Stop Career Center 
system created through the Workforce Investment Act of 1998, so that 
former recipients will continue to have access to additional training 
resources.
  Furthermore, we know that families cannot maintain employment without 
reliable, safe child care for their children. In my home state of 
California, according to Fight Crime: Invest in Kids California, 
``Fewer than one out of every five child care centers in California is 
rated as good quality.'' That is why this bill will also maintain the 
unprecedented commitment of federal support for child care by adding $1 
billion in discretionary funding to the Child Care and Development 
Block Grant, which provides support to state child care programs. In 
addition, the bill improves the program by helping to target funds set-
aside for quality activities and encouraging states to address the 
cognitive needs of young children so that they are developmentally 
prepared to enter school. The bill also provides states maximum 
flexibility in developing child care programs and policies that best 
meet the needs of children and parents.
  Finally, H.R. 4 will provide significant new waiver authority for 
states to better coordinate a variety of federal programs, including 
TANF, food stamps, housing assistance and workforce investment programs 
that improve services to needy families. This provision will encourage 
states to continue the experimentation at the state and local level 
that preceded the federal welfare reform action in 1996. At the same 
time, it remains important that the local areas created under the 
Workforce Investment Act be heavily involved in the process. That is 
why I am pleased that the bill includes provisions ensuring that the 
local administering entities join in the flexibility applications 
submitted to the Secretaries. This will, in effect, give the locals 
veto authority over provisions that they believe will not improve the 
quality or effectiveness of the programs involved.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this important 
legislation that enhances opportunities for families to move up the 
economic ladder and access quality child care for their children.

                          ____________________