Nancy Pelosi: “we can all agree that the welfare status quo is unacceptable. But the Republican welfare reform proposal will make the…”

“we can all agree that the welfare status quo is unacceptable. But the Republican welfare reform proposal will make the problems of poverty and dependence much worse because it refuses to make work the cornerstone of welfare reform. Real welfare reform is about work. Opportunities for work, jobs that pay a living wage, job training opportunities to provide skills necessary to earn a living wage are long-term solutions for a permanent and productive reform in our welfare system. Real welfare reform must emphasize the importance of work. Real welfare reform must also aid rather than punish children. Fourteen million children live in poverty in the United States. Passage of this legislation would add millions more to that statistic. This welfare bill is punitive and unrealistic. Abolishing the safety net for children, imposing family caps, denying legal immigrants benefits, imposing arbitrary time limits, and failing to provide adequate child care, health care, education, job training, and work opportunities for people in need will thrust millions more into poverty. This bill cuts almost $60 billion from the poor in this country. These cuts will affect children whose parents are on welfare. These cuts will trap countless women in abusive relationships, with nowhere to turn--without a realistic way to gain independence, gain work, and provide for their children. Welfare reform must be about education, job training, and work.”