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Congressional Record article 9 of 150

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TANF REAUTHORIZATION -- HON. MAXINE WATERS (Extensions of Remarks - February 06, 2002)

[Page: E106]  GPO's PDF
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HON. MAXINE WATERS OF CALIFORNIA IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Wednesday, February 6, 2002

Ms. WATERS. Mr. Speaker, as we move toward reauthorization of TANF , I join my colleagues as a cosponsor of the TANF Reauthorization Act of 2001 (H.R. 3113). This bill recognizes the need to build upon what has worked from the 1996 law in order to further reduce poverty in our country.

We live in the land of opportunity, and those opportunities are founded in education. Higher levels of education mean higher earnings. Unfortunately, the current welfare law closes this door on TANF recipients by limiting their access to education. TANF rules not only limit access to education, but also fail to reward States which develop such innovative programs. Research in my State of California found that while only 12 percent of recipients in Los Angeles participate in education and training activities, these participants enjoyed earnings almost 40 percent higher than those of untrained recipients after 5 years.

Many TANF recipients want to invest in their own futures by pursuing higher education that will lead to higher paying jobs. This bill ensures that when people take the initiative to pursue their education, we will not be a road block to their success.