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TANF REAUTHORIZATION -- HON. MAXINE WATERS (Extensions of Remarks - May 08,
2002)
[Page: E747] GPO's PDF
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HON. MAXINE WATERS
OF CALIFORNIA
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Wednesday, May 8, 2002
- Ms. WATERS. Mr. Speaker, in the past several weeks we have heard a lot of
talk about TANF reauthorization.
The Bush Administration wants to increase the number of hours that welfare
recipients work to 40. Twenty-four hours would have to be in work-related
activities, activities that do not include education or vocational training .
- But even in the remaining 16 hours, the limits on education and job training are severe in the Republican
proposals. Recipients can receive vocational training , education, or
rehabilitation and substance abuse treatment for a total of three months in a
24 month period.
- We know that education is one of the main avenues for a person to move out
of poverty. A year 2000 survey of people who left the welfare rolls after 1996
found that only those workers who had at least a two-year post secondary or
vocational degree were able to rise above the poverty line.
- Single female heads of households with a high school diploma are 60
percent more likely to have jobs. That number increases to 95 percent when
they have an associate's degree.
- We need to focus less on putting people in jobs, and focus more on training people for careers with room
for advancement. TANF
Reauthorization should be about reducing poverty, not reducing caseloads.