[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 148 (2002), Part 1]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 758]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                          TANF REAUTHORIZATION

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. MAXINE WATERS

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, February 6, 2002

  Ms. WATERS. Mr. Speaker, as we move toward reauthorization of TANF, I 
join my colleagues as a cosponsor of the TANF Reauthorization Act of 
2001 (H.R. 3113). This bill recognizes the need to build upon what has 
worked from the 1996 law in order to further reduce poverty in our 
country.
  We live in the land of opportunity, and those opportunities are 
founded in education. Higher levels of education mean higher earnings. 
Unfortunately, the current welfare law closes this door on TANF 
recipients by limiting their access to education. TANF rules not only 
limit access to education, but also fail to reward States which develop 
such innovative programs. Research in my State of California found that 
while only 12 percent of recipients in Los Angeles participate in 
education and training activities, these participants enjoyed earnings 
almost 40 percent higher than those of untrained recipients after 5 
years.
  Many TANF recipients want to invest in their own futures by pursuing 
higher education that will lead to higher paying jobs. This bill 
ensures that when people take the initiative to pursue their education, 
we will not be a road block to their success.

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