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Committee on Ways and Means For Immediate Release Senate Leadership Puts Welfare Reform on the Back Burner WASHINGTON -- On May 16, 2002, the House passed H.R. 4737, legislation reauthorizing and strengthening the landmark 1996 welfare reform law for another 5 years. Key features of this law expire on September 30, 2002. “Since May 16, the Senate has seen no action on welfare reform,” Human Resources Subcommittee Chairman Wally Herger (R-CA) said. “While the Senate Finance Committee is scheduled to markup welfare legislation this week, this begs the question - when will the full Senate act?” “How our nation helps low-income parents find work and support their families is too important to be put on the Senate’s back burner. I urge the Senate Democratic Leadership to schedule action on welfare so we can continue the remarkable successes of the 1996 law,” Herger added. Recent statements by Senate Majority Leader Daschle are not encouraging. In addition to bailing out Amtrak (again), here are some of his priorities for Senate action before welfare reauthorization:
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