[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 162 (Friday, December 16, 2005)]
[Senate]
[Page S13788]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. BAUCUS:
  S. 2119. A bill to reauthorize the Temporary Assistance for Needy 
Families block grant program through June 30, 2006, and for other 
purposes; to the Committee on Finance.
  Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, I am here to introduce bill to provide a 
6-month extension of the Nation's largely successful welfare program. 
It is known as the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Program, or 
TANF.
  Congress enacted the TANF program in 1996, to help welfare recipients 
gain work skills and to help low-income families become economically 
self-sufficient.
  Welfare reform has mostly succeeded. States have adopted creative 
policies to support low-income families making the transition from 
welfare to work. Millions have moved to self-sufficiency.
  But the TANF law expired in 2002. And Congress has failed to 
reauthorize it. Instead, Congress has extended TANF on a short-term 
basis, 12 times. The latest short-term extension expires in just over 2 
weeks.
  This bill is a simple extension of the current welfare program. It 
would provide stability for the States to operate their welfare 
programs. And it would continue our successful partnership with the 
States in supporting needy families as they move from welfare to work.
  Earlier this week, the Senate voted 64-27 to keep the welfare program 
out of the budget cutting reconciliation bill that the House has 
passed. The Senate voted instead to build on the bipartisan Finance 
Committee bill that Chairman Grassley and I worked diligently on this 
year. That bill is called the Personal Responsibility Individual 
Development for Everyone or PRIDE Act. The Finance Committee reported 
it out in March with near unanimous support. The PRIDE Act has been 
awaiting full Senate consideration since then.
  Despite broad support in the Finance Committee, the Senate has not 
taken this measure up for debate. Despite the broad support of 
governors, the Senate has not taken this measure up for debate. The 
Republican Governors Association said that TANF reauthorization ``is 
too important to leave to the limitations of the reconciliation 
process.'' But the Senate has not taken this measure up for debate.
  This vote was a vote to debate this bill on the Senate floor. It was 
a vote to build on the broadly-supported bill from the Finance 
Committee. We are going to need some time to complete that debate.
  The 6-month extension that I offer this afternoon will keep the 
welfare program operating. The 6-month extension will allow us the time 
to debate, pass, and go to conference on a fully considered PRIDE Act.
  I urge my colleagues to do the responsible thing. I urge my 
colleagues to support this extension. I urge my colleagues to keep this 
important safety net program operating.
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