INTRODUCING THE ``CHANCE TO SUCCEED ACT`` -- HON. FORTNEY PETE STARK (Extensions of Remarks - September 05, 2002)

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HON. FORTNEY PETE STARK OF CALIFORNIA IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Thursday, September 5, 2002

Mr. STARK . Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce the ``Chance to Succeed Act.'' This legislation is aimed at helping disabled Americans and those struggling with barriers to employment move from welfare to work. I'm proud to be joined in this effort by 43 of my colleagues. I'm also thankful to Senators Wellstone and Kennedy, who are working to pass companion legislation in the Senate.

Too many Americans find themselves trapped on welfare because of a disability. Others are simply ill equipped to overcome very real barriers that stand in the way of achieving meaningful employment.

The ``Chance to Succeed Act'' creates broad new guidelines for states to better serve the needs of the disabled and the severely disadvantaged. It empowers states to improve employment opportunity for welfare recipients with physical and mental disabilities. It also addresses other proven barriers to employment, such as a low level of education, limited English proficiency, and domestic abuse among others.

A recent General Accounting Office (GAO) study found that welfare recipients with disabilities were half as likely to leave the welfare rolls compared to recipients without impairments. The same GAO study found disabled recipients who did move off welfare were much less likely to gain employment.

An Urban Institute study found that 46 percent of welfare recipients that returned to welfare were in poor mental or physical health. The same Urban Institute Study found that 38 percent of welfare recipients that returned to welfare had less than a high school education. Perhaps most disturbing is a Wisconsin Study that found that 30 percent of welfare recipients responding to their survey reported that they had been fired or lost a job because of domestic abuse.

My bill provides a framework for states to institute new screening and assessment programs that identify and provide specialized services to these recipients. It encourages them to create individual ``personal responsibility plans'' that outline goals necessary for each recipient to obtain stable employment. It also provides funding for state-level advisory panels to evaluate and improve these efforts. And it allows States to follow through with this process without being penalized under current Federal work requirements.

Some states have already taken steps along these lines. This bill continues to give states flexibility to determine how best to meet the goals set out in this legislation. This is critical in giving families the tools they need to meet the individual challenges they face. By making clear that involvement in state programs tailored toward employment barriers will be counted as a work activity, states can fully follow through in this critical effort.

Please join me in supporting the ``Chance to Succeed Act'' to provide new hope and opportunity to Americans struggling to lift themselves out of poverty.
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