Judd Gregg: “I want to speak on the welfare reform bill. This has been an extraordinarily successful initiative which we began a few…”

“I want to speak on the welfare reform bill. This has been an extraordinarily successful initiative which we began a few years ago. Its success is tied with the fact that States have been given a great deal more flexibility in the area of how they handle their welfare account. The fact is, we have set up as a purpose, as a government, that people who are on welfare will be given the opportunity, the skills, and the incentives to move off of welfare and move into a work environment, which is something that gives them personal credibility and personal self-respect, and at the same time assists us in reducing the public welfare rolls. It has been a huge and overwhelming success. One of the elements of moving off of welfare, of course, is the need of parents to have transitional support, especially single mothers as they go into the workforce while dealing with their children during the time they are working; in other words, some sort of childcare assistance. As part of this bill, we intend to offer an amendment for reauthorization of the Child Care Development Block Grant Program, called the Caring for Children Act of 2003.”