Byron Dorgan: “I will vote for the welfare reform bill before us today because I believe the welfare system in this country is broken…”

“I will vote for the welfare reform bill before us today because I believe the welfare system in this country is broken and needs to be fixed. The welfare system serves no one well--not recipients and not taxpayers. We need to preserve a safety net for those who truly need help, but that safety net should be one that encourages work, facilitates self-reliance, and doesn't punish innocent kids. The legislation before us is not perfect, and I have concerns about many aspects of the bill. Despite my reservations, this bill permits us to move the welfare reform process forward. This bill requires recipients to work after receiving welfare for 2 years, and set a 5-year limit on total assistance. It permits recipients to use some of their time on assistance to get the education and training they need to find and keep a job. It provides child care for welfare recipients who want to work. It places a priority on preventing teen pregnancies. And it requires absent fathers to help pay for the costs of raising their children. And we have made some important improvements since this bill was introduced. We increased the requirement that States continue to make their own contributions to maintaining a strong safety net. We strengthened provisions to guarantee that the Food Stamp Program will provide assistance when people need it most. And we restored money for the summer food program for kids.”