On March 14, the House approved, by voice vote, a bill (H.R. 1160) to extend the 1996 welfare reform law (P.L. 104-193) through June 30, 2005. The Senate approved the measure by unanimous consent on March 15. It will now go to the White House for President Bush’s signature.
The Senate Finance Committee approved a welfare reauthorization bill (S. 667) on March 9 (see The Source, 3/11/05). The House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Human Resources approved its version of the measure (H.R. 240) on March 15. Since its expiration in September 2002, Congress has approved nine extensions of the 1996 law. The most recent extension will expire on March 31, 2005.
Highlighting the achievements of the 1996 welfare reform law, House Ways and Means Human Resources Subcommittee Chair Wally Herger (R-CA) stated, “It is important that we are here today to continue funding for this remarkably successful program. Since the welfare reform law was passed in 1996, the number of families receiving welfare assistance has fallen more than 60 percent. More than 1.4 million children have been lifted from poverty. However, as we have marked time with this program through a series of short-term extensions, we have seen evidence that the gains made over the years are in jeopardy. Work among welfare recipients has declined in 3 of the last 4 years. Two million families remain dependent on government assistance, and we are not taking enough steps to strengthen families, which will improve child well-being. We must do more to help strong families form and more parents go to work and achieve independence.”
Rep. Ben Cardin (D-MD), a member of the Human Resources Subcommittee, stated, “I agree with those who say we should be doing more. I think it is wrong we have not brought forward legislation that deals with the reality of what has happened in our communities over the past 3 years. We have seen a significant growth in poverty in this country, growing by 4.3 million people. In 2003 alone, almost another 800,000 children fell into poverty; yet we see no action by this body to deal with the realities in our community.” Expressing his preference for the Senate Finance Committee bill, he said that the measure “increases access to education rather than placing new limitations on education and training. It does not double work hours for mothers with young children. It does not include an open-ended superwaiver authority that could reduce protections for food stamps and housing benefits, and includes six times as much new child care funding compared to the bill that will be marked up in our committee.”
