[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 148 (2002), Part 3]
[House]
[Page 4137]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         SUPPORT WELFARE REFORM

  (Mr. CRANE asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. CRANE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to support the bill of the 
gentleman from California (Mr. Herger) on welfare reform that was 
introduced yesterday. The bill strongly supports the President's 
priorities on welfare reform.
  Welfare reform has been a tremendous success. The best welfare 
program for families and children is a good-paying job. Since welfare 
reform was passed in 1996, more people are off welfare and working, and 
child poverty is down significantly. But there is still more we can do. 
This bill will continue building on the successes we have had. It will 
strengthen families and protect children. It will help most people get 
off welfare who are in that condition today and back to work. It will 
encourage States to be innovative so they can help more families.
  This is a good bill and I urge my colleagues to support it.

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