Karen Bass: “between 1965 and 1994 $5.4 trillion has been spent on welfare. Federal, State, and local welfare spending rose from $158…”

“between 1965 and 1994 $5.4 trillion has been spent on welfare. Federal, State, and local welfare spending rose from $158 billion in 1975 to $324 billion in 1993. Now, my colleagues may think that welfare is thought of as providing short-term relief. Well, the fact is that the average stay on welfare today is 13 years. Now, since 1950 the population of the United States has increased 72 percent, from 151 million to 260 million. At the same time, total welfare spending by Federal, State, and local governments has increased by 1,623 percent. Mr. Speaker, today the House will pass a historic welfare reform bill that requires work and personal responsibility and lifts families from lives of despair and hopelessness. Mr. Speaker, welfare should not be a way of life. Commonsense welfare reform will help end the vicious cycle of welfare dependency. Mr. Speaker, I urge the President to sign this historic welfare proposal.”