ADVISORY
FROM THE COMMITTEE ON WAYS AND MEANS

Thomas Announces a Hearing with HHS Secretary Thompson
on the President's Plan to Build on the Successes of Welfare Reform

Congressman Bill Thomas (R-CA), Chairman of the Committee on Ways and Means, today announced that the Committee will hold a hearing on the President's plan to strengthen welfare reform. The hearing will take place on Tuesday, March 12, 2002, in the main Committee hearing room, 1100 Longworth House Office Building, beginning at 2:30 p.m.

In view of the limited time available to hear witnesses, oral testimony at this hearing will be from the Honorable Tommy G. Thompson, Secretary, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. However, any individual or organization not scheduled for an oral appearance may submit a written statement for consideration by the Committee and for inclusion in the printed record of the hearing.

BACKGROUND:

The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (P.L. 104-193), commonly referred to as the 1996 welfare reform law, made dramatic changes in the Federal-State welfare system designed to aid low-income American families. The law repealed the former Aid to Families with Dependent Children program, and with it the individual entitlement to cash welfare benefits. In its place, the 1996 legislation created a new Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant. It provides fixed funding to States to operate programs designed to achieve several purposes: (1) provide assistance to needy families, (2) end the dependence of needy parents on government benefits by promoting job preparation, work, and marriage, (3) prevent and reduce the incidence of out-of-wedlock pregnancies, and (4) encourage the formation and maintenance of two-parent families. In exchange for the broad flexibility and fixed funding granted States, the 1996 law imposed certain key program requirements, notably work requirements and time limits on Federal benefits.

The achievements of welfare reform have been dramatic. Caseloads have been reduced by 9 million individuals in 3 million families. Nearly 3 million children have been lifted from poverty, and work among current and former welfare recipients has risen to record highs. Yet despite these outstanding results, far too many individuals receiving assistance are not making progress toward self-sufficiency. Troubling social trends such as out-of-wedlock birthrates, teen pregnancy, and divorce remain at or near record levels, exacerbating challenges faced by low-income families to achieve self-sufficiency.

To ensure that the Committee and the Congress review the effects of the fundamental changes made in the 1996 law, the authors of the 1996 law extended the authorization of the TANF program only through fiscal year 2002. In early February, the President laid out a framework of his proposal to reauthorize TANF and strengthen welfare reform in his fiscal year 2003 budget. On February 26, he provided further details of his plan. This hearing will provide the Secretary with an opportunity to discuss the President's detailed proposals.

"The welfare reform law has been a great success," said Chairman Thomas. "Expecting and supporting work has made a huge difference in the lives of millions of families. Caseloads have plummeted, work and incomes are up, and poverty has fallen dramatically. We welcome Secretary Thompson, the leader of the welfare reform revolution as Governor of Wisconsin in the 1980s and 1990s, to discuss with the Committee the President's proposals for strengthening welfare reform and helping even more low-income families enjoy the dignity and rewards of work and self-support."

FOCUS OF THE HEARING:

The hearing will review the President's welfare reform reauthorization proposal.

DETAILS FOR SUBMISSION OF WRITTEN COMMENTS:

Please Note: Due to the change in House mail policy, any person or organization wishing to submit a written statement for the printed record of the hearing should send it electronically to hearingclerks.waysandmeans@mail.house.gov, along with a fax copy to (202) 225-2610 by the close of business, Tuesday, March 26, 2002. Those filing written statements who wish to have their statements distributed to the press and interested public at the hearing should deliver their 200 copies to the full Committee in room 1102 Longworth House Office Building, in an open and searchable package 48 hours before the hearing. The U.S. Capitol Police will refuse unopened and unsearchable deliveries to all House Office Building.

FORMATTING REQUIREMENTS:

Each statement presented for printing to the Committee by a witness, any written statement or exhibit submitted for the printed record or any written comments in response to a request for written comments must conform to the guidelines listed below. Any statement or exhibit not in compliance with these guidelines will not be printed, but will be maintained in the Committee files for review and use by the Committee.

1. Due to the change in House mail policy, all statements and any accompanying exhibits for printing must be submitted electronically to hearingclerks.waysandmeans@mail.house.gov, along with a fax copy to (202) 225-2610, in Word Perfect or MS Word format and MUST NOT exceed a total of 10 pages including attachments. Witnesses are advised that the Committee will rely on electronic submissions for printing the official hearing record.

2. Copies of whole documents submitted as exhibit material will not be accepted for printing. Instead, exhibit material should be referenced and quoted or paraphrased. All exhibit material not meeting these specifications will be maintained in the Committee files for review and use by the Committee.

3. Any statements must include a list of all clients, persons, or organizations on whose behalf the witness appears. A supplemental sheet must accompany each statement listing the name, company, address, telephone and fax numbers of each witness.

Note: All Committee advisories and news releases are available on the World Wide Web at http://waysandmeans.house.gov.

The Committee seeks to make its facilities accessible to persons with disabilities. If you are in need of special accommodations, please call 202-225-1721 or 202-226-3411 TTD/TTY in advance of the event (four business days notice is requested). Questions with regard to special accommodation needs in general (including availability of Committee materials in alternative formats) may be directed to the Committee as noted above.