Debbie Dingell: “we must reform welfare. But as we work to reform welfare it is important to remember that we do not need to provide…”

“we must reform welfare. But as we work to reform welfare it is important to remember that we do not need to provide welfare assistance solely for altruistic reasons. We provide welfare assistance and financial assistance to those in need because it is in the best interest of our society to do so as we fit them for return to work and to membership in this society and in the productive units of this society. Madam Chairman, work works. One of the highest priorities must be giving States and their residents the tools to find and keep good-paying jobs. No Federal, State, or local government funds should be given to individuals without expecting something from those individuals in return. The purpose of welfare is to give financial lift to help people out of difficult times. Yet it must also provide them with the tools, training, education to support their families and to become productive parts of our work force. The Castle-Tanner bipartisan reform welfare program, of which I am proud cosponsor, provides the States with tools to reduce welfare rolls through education and training of recipients. I support this proposal for this reason, because it is the only version of welfare reform being considered today which will help Michiganians off welfare by providing the skills to achieve good jobs. Madam Chairman, we must care for the kids. Twenty-one percent of our children through no fault of their own are living in poverty.”