News NCJIS Co-Sponsors "Low-Income Immigrant Rights Conference" Washington, D.C. May 1-3, 2003 January 22, 2003 Press Release: President Bush Revives Dead Welfare Plan January 14, 2003 Press Clip: Bush Demands Stiffer Welfare-to-Work Laws The Associated Press. January 14, 2003 More... Campaigns Make TANF Work! Food Stamps Legalization Working for Wages Day Labor and Contingent Work Past Campaigns... Events Stand With Sisters for Economic Dignity Nine Women Perform Their Stories on Capitol Hill September 18, 2002 "What About the Rest of Us, Mr. President?" NCJIS Leaders Protest at Bush's Ranch October 24, 2002 Sign up for Action Alerts Sign up to receive NCJIS Updates and Action Alerts by email. Support Our Work Support local, state and national action with your contribution.

For Immediate Release: Contact Info: 3/6/2002 Tyler Prell or Jason Dring, (202) 518-8047 HHS SECRETARY THOMPSON BREAKS SILENCE, SIGNALS SUPPORT FOR EDUCATION, TRAINING FOR WELFARE RECIPIENTS Unclear If President Bush Agrees Education and Training Are Essential For Better Jobs WASHINGTON, DC - Testifying today before the House Ways and Means Committee, Health and Human Services Secretary, Tommy Thompson broke his silence on the Administration's support for education and training to help welfare recipients "move up the ladder." "Secretary Thompson's signal of support for education and training for welfare recipients is a significant positive development as we approach Congressional reauthorization of the 1996 welfare law," said Deepak Bhargava, Director of the National Campaign for Jobs and Income Support and chief organizer of the Make TANF Work! campaign. "We can only hope that the White House agrees with its Secretary and puts forward proposals that allow states the flexibility to count education and training as a work activity," said Bhargava. The National Campaign for Jobs and Income Support has proposed a comprehensive education and training agenda that can offer Secretary Thompson several ideas to further develop his broad support for the concept. The National Campaign's agenda includes: Education and training - including the full continuum of basic, secondary, and post-secondary education, English as a Second Language, and skills training - should count as a work activity. The time limit clock should stop for parents while they are engaged in education and training. The 12-month limitation on the length of time parents may engaged in education and training should be eliminated. The 30 percent limitation on the portion of the caseload that may engage in education and training should be eliminated. The National Campaign for Jobs and Income Support (NCJIS), a project of the Center for Community Change, is a coalition of more than 1000 grassroots anti-poverty groups that has been organizing since 2000 to transform TANF into a meaningful anti-poverty program. Under the banner Make TANF Work! (http://www.maketanfwork.org/), the National Campaign is spearheading a national effort to fashion a progressive policy and political strategy on welfare reform. Printable Version

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