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[Page: H1622]  GPO's PDF
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   (Mr. KUCINICH asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)

   Mr. KUCINICH. What should we seek to change in TANF when it is reauthorized: to make TANF reduce poverty and help recipients get good jobs with adequate wages, or to punish people and increase poverty? The Herger and McKeon bills only punish people when they enact counterproductive workfare programs.

   Does workfare provide training? No. Does workfare provide educational opportunities? No. Does workfare provide the minimum wage? No. Does workfare provide coverage for health and safety, civil rights, and other employment laws? No. Does workfare provide a chance at being hired? No.

   Workfare will not help recipients find or keep a good job. TANF should allow a recipient to get a GED, learn English, and get a post-secondary degree in order to obtain a good job. TANF should allow a recipient to get rehabilitation, to deal with a physical disability , deal with domestic violence, and access mental health counseling.

   TANF should provide adequate funding for child care, and allow mothers to care for their children if they are very young or disabled. They should end the punitive full family sanctions, which eliminate food stamps and other benefits from poor children when their parents are not in compliance. TANF should help people out of poverty, not punish families and children for being poor.