Todd Tiahrt: “I support President Bush's welfare reform. I am often asked what I consider some of the best accomplishments I have made…”

“I support President Bush's welfare reform. I am often asked what I consider some of the best accomplishments I have made as a Congressman. Well, I am very proud to have been a Member of the historic 105th Congress that passed the 1996 Welfare Reform Act. Perhaps more than anything else that we have accomplished during my time in Washington, reforming welfare has given the most hope to American families. Welfare caseloads fell by 9 million since 1994. That means 9 million more Americans, 9 million more people are on the road to making their dreams a reality. The number of mothers who are more likely to go on welfare, but instead have a job, rose by 40 percent between 1995 and 2000. Since 1996, nearly 3 million children have been lifted from poverty. In the African American community, the child poverty rate is at an all-time record low. The success of the 1996 welfare reform law is beyond dispute. Our challenge and our great opportunity is to build on that success by letting more Americans work their way to freedom of dependence and follow the path to making their dreams a reality.”