Political Quotes

“I rise to introduce the Drug Testing and Treatment for Welfare Recipients Act of 1999. This legislation would establish a pilot program encouraging up to 5 States to implement drug testing and treatment programs for people receiving assistance through the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families Block Grant (TANF); the AFDC replacement established through the 1996 welfare reform law. It would fund these programs through three year competitive grants, providing States with the resources and flexibility they need to establish the most effective drug testing and treatment programs for their communities. Mr. President, across the nation, welfare caseloads are dropping. More and more welfare recipients are working to provide for their families and moving closer to complete independence from public assistance. According to the Congressional Research Service, in March of 1994 5.1 million families received assistance through the Aid to Families with Dependent Children program (AFDC). By September of 1998, those numbers had dropped to 2.9 million families receiving assistance through the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) block grant program. This 43% decline in the welfare caseload is encouraging. But it should not stop our efforts to help those hard-to-serve cases still on the rolls. Individuals who continue to receive welfare payments face daunting barriers to employment. One such barrier is drug addiction.”