Committee on Ways and Means

WELFARE REFORM RESOURCE KIT

H.R. 4737, the "Personal Responsibility, Work, and Family Promotion Act of 2002"

Background Information

• Welfare Successes

• Predictions Were Wrong

• Overview of Welfare Reform

• Summary of H.R. 4737

• Enhanced State Flexibility

• Increased Child Care Funding

• Child Support Enforcement

• Poverty

• Child Poverty: Questions and Answers

• Fatherhood Programs

• Promoting Healthy Marriage

• Strengthening Work Requirements

• Education and Training

• “Superachiever” Credit

• “State Flex” (a.k.a. Superwaiver)

• TANF Funding Levels Increased

• Recipients with Barriers: Questions and Answers

• Response to State Criticisms

• Unfunded Mandates

• Taxpayer Protections

Technical Analysis and Data 

• Committee Report H. Rept. 107-460, Part 1
• CBO Cost Estimate of H.R. 4090 (Committee on Ways and Means Reported Bill)
• State Recipient Data (Spreadsheet)

Press Releases 

• August 20, 2002 – "Senate Poised to Unravel Gains in Self-Sufficiency and Responsibility on Welfare Reform’s 6^th Anniversary"
• August 20, 2002 – “Top 101 Ways the Senate Finance Committee Bill Undermines Welfare Reform”
• July 31, 2002 – “HHS Releases Latest Study on Welfare Reform”
• July 11, 2002 – “Senate Finance Bill Undermines Successful 1996 Welfare Reforms”
• June 27, 2002 – “Huh, Senator Daschle?”
• June 25, 2002 – “Senate Leadership Puts Welfare Reform on the Back Burner”
• June 20, 2002 – “Chairman Herger Urges Senate To Act to Extend and Strengthen 1996 Welfare Reforms”
• June 19, 2002 – “The Welfare Reform Clock Is Running Out”
• April 16, 2002 – “Columbia Teachers’ College Issues Report Showing No Negative Impacts and Some Positive Impacts on Children After Welfare Reform”
• April 10, 2002 – “Chairman Herger Introduces Legislation to Build on Welfare Reform Success”
• April 5, 2002 – “NGA Chairman Engler Testifies that Welfare Work Requirements Should be ‘Central Focus’”
• March 5, 2002 – “3 Million Children Lifted from Poverty Since 1996”
• February 28, 2002 – “Work First Works Best”
• February 26, 2002 – “Bush's Proposal Builds on Success of Welfare Reform”
• February 26, 2002 – “Author of Original Welfare Reform Legislation Supports Bush's Continued Emphasis on Work”
• January 24,2002 – "Welfare Reform’s Success Should Not be Jeopardized, Herger Says"
• September 5, 2001 – "Welfare Caseloads Continue to Decline Due to Reform, Says Herger"
• August 23, 2001 –  "Hope and Opportunity Delivered to Families"
• September 23 -- "Welfare Reform Countdown: 7 Days Until Expiration"
• September 24, 2002 -- "Poverty Remains Low for Groups Most Affected by Welfare Reform, Despite Recession"
• September 24, 2002 -- "Welfare Reform Countdown: 6 Days Until Expiration"
• September 25, 2002 -- "Welfare Reform Countdown: 5 Days Until Expiration"