WALLY HERGER: “This is a report from the same Congressional Budget Office dated May 13, 2002. CBO says the TANF grant program, which is…”

“This is a report from the same Congressional Budget Office dated May 13, 2002. CBO says the TANF grant program, which is the subject of this bill, affords States broad flexibility to determine eligibility for benefits and to structure the programs offered as part of a State's family assistance program. Consequently, any new requirements to the program as proposed by H.R. 4090 would not be intergovernmental mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandate Reform Act to the States. With respect to the question of money, this chart clearly illustrates that we are giving the States more money for welfare on a per-family basis. In 1996, the year prior to welfare reform going into effect, States had about $7,000 per family for welfare. Next year under the first year in this bill, States will have almost $16,000 per family for welfare. Tell me how we are shortchanging the States. They are getting over twice as much money, and that is not counting the $4 billion extra we are giving them in child care. Give me a break.”