William L. Clay: “I join my colleagues today as an original cosponsor of H.R. 3113, the TANF Reauthorization Act of 2001. This bill…”

“I join my colleagues today as an original cosponsor of H.R. 3113, the TANF Reauthorization Act of 2001. This bill recognizes the need to build on the framework of the 1996 law and refocus our efforts to truly fight poverty in our country. Although welfare reform "ended welfare as we knew it," it did not reduce family poverty. In many cases, it merely moved families off of welfare rolls and into the class of working poor. As a result, despite a strong economy and a 50 percent decrease in welfare caseloads over the last 5 years, family poverty has declined by less than 13 percent, and overall poverty has fallen by less than 2 percent. Families cannot be economically secure without employment that pays a living wage. As we work on TANF reauthorization, we also need to ensure access to Medicaid, food stamps, child care and other transitional work supports for those families leaving welfare. I support the TANF Reauthorization Act, because it recognizes the need to shift the emphasis from reducing welfare rolls to reducing child and family poverty.”