Dave Camp: “States already, in the first year, would be able to exempt 75 percent of their case load from the work requirement and…”

“States already, in the first year, would be able to exempt 75 percent of their case load from the work requirement and would be able to make the decision as to which individuals, if it is grandparents or elderly caregivers, would be able to be exempt from that work requirement. When the work requirement is fully implemented, it will still be 50 percent of the case load that States will be able to make the decision to exempt. They have the authority to do that now. Even under the 5-year time limit, which is a separate part of the welfare bill, States would be able to exempt up to 20 percent of their case load from the time limit requirement. So it is going to be up to States to make that decision on which individuals. I appreciate the gentlewoman's bringing this to the floor and expressing her concern to the House over this issue, but there are provisions in the bill giving quite a bit of discretion with the State government to make those decisions.”