[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 13 (Tuesday, February 7, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E80-E81]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  RELATING TO CONSIDERATION OF S. 1932, DEFICIT REDUCTION ACT OF 2005

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                           HON. WALLY HERGER

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, February 1, 2006

  Mr. HERGER. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to join my colleagues today in 
support of S. 1932, the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005, which provides 
needed reform to several programs and slows the growth of mandatory 
spending. This conference report achieves important savings through the 
modification of certain programs, while making significant new 
investments in child care, child protection, and the promotion of 
marriage and families, among other changes.
  This legislation includes a compromise on child support for families 
that provides more support directly to families, especially those who 
have left welfare. It saves $1.6 billion by ending state ``double 
dipping'' on Federal child support incentive funds. Additionally, this 
legislation provides $300 million for court improvements and services 
to assist families involved with foster care and adoption programs. 
Technical changes to the Supplemental Security Income program save an 
additional $725 million.
  Importantly, this conference report reauthorizes the nation's welfare 
reform law, which was originally signed into law in 1996, expired in 
2002, and has been temporarily extended a dozen times. Welfare reform 
has been a success in reducing poverty, ending dependency, and 
promoting work. Child poverty has fallen sharply since 1996 with 1.4 
million children being lifted out of poverty. Meanwhile, work among 
welfare recipients has more than doubled as welfare caseloads have 
fallen by more than 9 million.
  Despite these successes, we still have work to do. Currently, 58 
percent of welfare recipients are not working or engaged in training 
programs to acquire necessary skills. Two million families continue to 
be dependent on welfare. In addition, far too many families break up or 
never form; these broken homes leave millions of children and parents 
at a higher risk for future welfare dependence.
  The welfare reauthorization contained in this conference report will 
continue and strengthen the reforms enacted in 1996. While this 
legislation does not include all of the provisions

[[Page E81]]

passed by the House in 2002, 2003, and 2005, it includes the essential 
features of those proposals. With passage of this legislation, we will 
help even more low-income families and parents support themselves by 
promoting more work and stronger families. Child care funding will be 
increased by $1 billion over the next 5 years and States will continue 
to receive Record Federal welfare funds, despite huge caseload declines 
since 1996.
  To complement these reforms, the conference report also provides $500 
million for the promotion of healthy marriages and $250 million for 
programs to encourage responsible fatherhood. Independent studies show 
one of the most effective ways to reduce child poverty and improve 
child well-being is by promoting healthy, stable marriages. These 
programs are an important part of preventing future welfare dependence. 
Despite the often heroic efforts of single parents to work and care for 
them, children raised by single parents are five times more likely to 
live in poverty, five times more likely to depend on welfare, two to 
three times more likely to show behavioral problems, and twice as 
likely to commit crimes or go to jail. These parents and families need 
more help to overcome such obstacles, and this legislation provides 
funding for services to help parents lead fuller lives and better 
support their families without needing welfare.
  I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, which builds on the 
success of the 1996 welfare reforms and offers brighter prospects for 
the future of millions of low-income families.