Political Quotes

“In 1996, I was the lead sponsor of legislation that overhauled Pennsylvania's welfare system. When this legislation was implemented, I worked with the Chester County Chamber of Business and Industry in my district to initiate what later became the Jobs and Advancement Through Mentoring program. This program provides welfare recipients who are entering the workforce with volunteer mentors recruited from the local business community. The intent of the program is to make sure that welfare recipients do not just start working, but that they have a volunteer partner in the community helping them over the rough spots during that first year of employment in helping to ensure lifetime self-sufficiency and productivity. While I realize that the bill we are debating today expresses the sense of Congress that States should encourage mentoring programs, I believe we should do more. That is why I have drafted an amendment to require States to identify approaches to establishing voluntary community-based mentoring programs like the one I just described.”