For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
June 3, 2002
New Report Shows That Welfare Reform Really Works
Today's Presidential Action
During a visit to Little Rock, Arkansas, President Bush called on
the Senate to take action to continue the historic progress of welfare
reform and ensure that more Americans are able to achieve independence
through work.
A new report from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
underscores the President's goal of strengthening the core elements of
the historic 1996 welfare reform law. In its annual report to Congress
on the level of welfare dependency in the country, HHS found that:
4.7 million fewer Americans were dependent on welfare within
three years after welfare reform was first passed in 1996. The
percentage of the population that is dependent on welfare fell from
5.2% to 3.3% during this time.
As the rate of welfare dependency
declined, the overall poverty rate in America fell. In the four years
following enactment of welfare reform in 1996, 5.4 million fewer
Americans were in poverty. Within these four years, the poverty rate
for all individuals fell from 13.7% to 11.3% -- the lowest rate since
1979.
The President called on the Senate to pass a welfare reform bill
with a strong work requirement to help more Americans achieve the goal
of independence for themselves and their families.
Background on the President's Welfare Reform Agenda
This year, Congress must act to reauthorize the historic 1996
welfare reform law. President Bush proposes to build on the success of
the bipartisan 1996 reforms by making welfare even more focused on the
well-being of children and supportive of families. The President's
plan is designed to strengthen families and help more welfare
recipients work toward independence and self-reliance. The President's
welfare reform plan will:
Help more welfare recipients achieve independence through
work. The President's plan requires welfare recipients to work 40
hours per week -- either at a job or in programs designed to help them
achieve independence. At least 24 of these 40 hours must be
employment, while the remaining time can be spent in job training
programs, rehabilitative services and substance abuse treatment.
Protect children and strengthen families. The President's plan
continues historically high levels of support for childcare ($4.8
billion per year) through the Child Care and Development Block Grant.
The President's welfare reform plan also provides states financial
incentives to give more of the past-due child support payments they
collect to mothers and children.
Provide compassionate food
assistance to legal immigrants in need. The President's proposal will
allow legal immigrants to receive food stamps five years after entry to
the United States -- ensuring adequate nutrition among children and
other vulnerable immigrant groups. The President's plan also continues
to require new entrants to support themselves and their families
through work and continues the existing five-year ban on welfare
benefits for non-citizens entering the country after 1996.
Empower
states to seek new and innovative solutions to help welfare recipients
achieve independence. One of the key pillars of the President's
welfare reform plan, as well as the 1996 welfare reform law, is to
encourage innovation by states and local governments to help people
move from welfare dependency toward independence. The President's plan
establishes a Ticket to Independence program to encourage state and
local innovation, reduce red tape and improve the quality of services
provided to Americans in need.
For more information on the President's initiatives please visit
www.whitehouse.gov