Opening Statement of Hon. Wally Herger, a Representative
 in Congress from the State of California, and Chairman, Subcommittee on Human Resources

Hearing on Welfare Reform Reauthorization Proposals

April 11, 2002

Already in the past year we have reviewed welfare success, strengthening and promoting healthy families, work requirements and time limits, teen pregnancy prevention, child support and fatherhood, as well as marriage issues.  This hearing is part of our continuing conversation about ways to further improve the nation’s welfare program during the upcoming reauthorization process. 

On February 6th and March 12^th of this year, the Committee on Ways and Means reviewed the President’s welfare reform proposal with the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Tommy Thompson, who joins us again today.

At today’s hearing we will receive testimony on the President’s welfare reform proposal, which I introduced earlier this week along with other Republican Members of the Subcommittee as H.R. 4090, the “Personal Responsibility, Work, and Family Promotion Act of 2002.”  We will hear a wide range of views from over 40 witnesses representing the Administration, former welfare recipients, State and local officials, scholars, program administrators, and advocates for those affected by the welfare system. 

Despite differences on how to further improve the program, all of those here today recognize we can’t rest on the success of the 1996 welfare reform law, and we shouldn’t go back to the former AFDC system that trapped families in dependence for an average of 13 years.  I can’t imagine anyone here would want to go back to the old days of providing checks and expecting little of recipients.

This law has achieved truly historic results.  Since 1996 nearly 3 million children have been lifted from poverty.  Among mothers most likely to go on welfare, employment rose 40 percent between 1995 and 2000.  At the same time, welfare caseloads fell by 9 million – from 14 million recipients in 1994 to just 5 million today.

What this means is that single mothers and fathers who used to collect a welfare check every month are now collecting a paycheck.  They deserve to be congratulated.

The welfare reform bill, which we introduced based on the President’s proposal, is designed to encourage and support even more parents in work.  In addition we maintain current high levels of TANF and child care funds, and expand state flexibility in spending those funds, to help make these improvements work.

I look forward to hearing witness comments on these and other proposals to reform and improve the welfare system.