James M. Talent: “as we debate the very important issue of deficit reduction, I want to take a few minutes to discuss a provision included…”

“as we debate the very important issue of deficit reduction, I want to take a few minutes to discuss a provision included in the Deficit Reduction Act. It is an issue of great importance and one that many Senators have been working on for more than 3 years, the reauthorization of TANF, the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Program. As a freshman Member of the House, I introduced the welfare reform legislation that subsequently became the basis for the historic bipartisan welfare reform bill, the Personal Responsibility Act of 1996. Since that time I have viewed welfare reform as a priority issue, an issue of great significance to millions of Americans. Welfare reform has been one of the most successful social policy reforms in U.S. history. The 1996 welfare reform legislation made remarkable headway in helping welfare dependents move toward self- sufficiency. It dramatically reduced State welfare case1oads and child poverty, and it increased welfare recipient employment. Welfare reform is based on the understanding that the two best anti- poverty programs are work and marriage. The old welfare system seduced millions of people into poverty by offering assistance on the condition that they not get a job, not get married, and have children anyway. It measured success by how many people it was able to get on welfare. The new system measures success by how many people get off welfare, or never have to go on welfare.…”