[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 4]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 5156]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




        INTRODUCING THE WOMEN'S OPTION TO RAISE KIDS (WORK) ACT

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                        HON. FORTNEY PETE STARK

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, April 18, 2012

  Mr. STARK. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to introduce legislation that 
will recognize the hard work that all mothers engage in each day.
  In the past week, presumptive Republican Presidential nominee Mitt 
Romney has said that he believes ``all moms are working moms.'' I 
agree. Unfortunately, if you are a low-income mother, the Temporary 
Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program punishes you if you decide 
to stay home to care for your young child. Our laws should reflect the 
value of care giving work done by all mothers.
  Current law does not count low-income stay-at-home parents who are 
raising young children as meeting the necessary Temporary Assistance 
for Needy Families (TANF) work requirement. Current law also bans 
States from counting these individuals toward that State's work 
participation rate, which can result in financial penalties if not met. 
This effectively bars low-income parents who choose to stay home to 
raise their young children from access to the financial support of 
TANF.
  The WORK Act would recognize that raising children is, in fact, work. 
The legislation would amend current TANF law to provide States the 
option to maintain a safety net for poor parents. Low-income parents 
could receive job training or search for work, or they could raise 
their children until they are school-aged without fear of being pushed 
deeper into poverty. This is the same option that wealthy families 
enjoy.
  I urge all of my colleagues to show that they understand the 
importance of all mothers and the care they provide by supporting the 
WORK Act.

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