    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2002, Book I)]
    [May 11, 2002]
    [Pages 779-780]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    The President's Radio Address
    May 11, 2002

        Good morning. Next week the United States House of Representatives
    is scheduled to debate a welfare reform plan that will touch the lives
    of millions of Americans. The last time Congress reformed welfare, in
    1996, it put millions of Americans on the path to better lives.
        Because of work requirements and time-limited benefits, welfare
    caseloads have dropped by more than half. Today, 5.4 million fewer
    people live in poverty, including 2.8 million fewer children than in
    1996. Yet, the real success of welfare reform is not found in the number
    of caseloads that have been cut but in the number of lives that have
    been changed.
        I've traveled all across our Nation, and I've met people whose lives
    have been improved because of welfare reform. I have heard inspiring
    stories of hope and dignity and hard work and personal achievement. Yet,
    there are still millions of Americans trapped in dependence, without
    jobs and the dignity they bring. And now Congress must take the next
    necessary steps in welfare reform.
        Compassionate welfare reform should encourage strong families.
    Strong marriages and stable families are good for children, so stable
    families should be a central aim of welfare policy. Under my plan, up to
    $300 million per year will be available to

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    States to support good private and public programs that counsel willing
    couples on building a healthy respect for marriage.
        Compassionate welfare reform must allow States greater flexibility
    in spending welfare money. Today, confusing and conflicting regulations
    are keeping people from getting help. My proposal would give States the
    freedom to redesign how Federal programs operate in their States. This
    will allow States to be more innovative in providing better job
    training, housing, and nutrition programs, and better childcare services
    to low-income families.
        Most of all, compassionate welfare reform must encourage more and
    more Americans to find the independence of a job. Today, States on
    average must require work of only 5 percent of adults getting welfare. I
    am proposing that every State be required within 5 years to have 70
    percent of welfare recipients working or being trained to work at at
    least 40 hours a week. These work requirements must be applied carefully
    and compassionately.
        Because many on welfare need new skills, my plan allows States to
    combine work with up to 2 days each week of education and job training.
    Our proposal allows for 3 months in full-time drug rehabilitation or job
    training, and adolescent mothers can meet their work requirements by
    attending high school. A work requirement is not a penalty; it is the
    pathway to independence and self-respect. For former welfare recipients,
    this path has led to a new and better life.
        When I was in North Carolina earlier this year, I met Ella
    Currence, a mother of four who was on welfare
    for 7 years. She knew change would be difficult, but she also knew
    change was best. Ella began participating in the State's Work First
    Program. She has been working for the last 5 years, and she put her life
    in order. Ella says, ``You can do anything you want to do if you put
    your mind to it.'' This is the spirit and confidence encouraged by work.
        Everyone in America benefits from compassionate welfare reform.
    Former welfare recipients gain new hope and know the independence and
    dignity of an honest day's work. As our recovery continues, business
    will need more motivated and trained workers. Good welfare reform laws
    can break dependency and help the American economy.
        My administration has worked closely with Congress in writing the
    new welfare legislation. It's an excellent bill that will provide hope
    and promise, dignity and opportunity to millions of Americans. I urge
    the House to pass it and the Senate to then act on it.
        Thank you for listening.

    Note: The address was recorded at 9:10 a.m. on May 9 in the Cabinet Room
    at the White House for broadcast at 10:06 a.m. on May 11. The transcript
    was made available by the Office of the Press Secretary on May 10 but
    was embargoed for release until the broadcast. The Office of the Press
    Secretary also released a Spanish language transcript of this address.