Jack Kingston: “I believe it was supporting welfare reform. And here is why. In 1994 there were 14 million people on welfare. Today…”

“I believe it was supporting welfare reform. And here is why. In 1994 there were 14 million people on welfare. Today there are 5 million. Still too many, and yet 9 million people are now in the workplace, having a very positive effect, enjoying life and supporting themselves. Some of the principles that are very basic American principles in the welfare reform bill are promoting work, improving child care, promoting healthy marriages and strengthening families, fostering hope and opportunity. Since 1996, work among welfare recipients has tripled. Employment of single mothers is now more than 70 percent, an all-time high. Since 1994, welfare caseloads have fallen by 60 percent, leaving less than 2 percent of the U.S. population on welfare. These are all significant and positive. The numbers go on: 3.6 million fewer Americans live in poverty today than they did in 1996; 2.7 million fewer children are in poverty today than in 1996. These are real changes, and we did this despite the rhetoric that we heard in 1996, which we are again hearing from the left who like status quo and do not like change.”