Political Quotes

“I want to take my 1 minute to talk about the Welfare Reform Act of 1996, one of the greatest public policy successes in half a century. This body will soon have the opportunity to continue the remarkable progress made over the past 6 years when we reauthorize the law. Our Nation has seen a dramatic 56 percent drop in welfare caseloads as more families have broken the cycle of poverty and replaced welfare checks with paychecks. Welfare rolls are at their lowest levels since 1965, and more than 2 million children have been rescued from poverty, a remarkable success. The reauthorization will allow us to build on the principles which have helped more Americans achieve self-reliance. It contains a strong work requirement, continues the focus on protecting children, and strengthening families, and gives more States flexibility. Mr. Speaker, the emphasis on work and strengthening families in this new initiative represents a winning formula to put more needy Americans on the path toward a brighter future.”