Jack Reed: “I rise to discuss the necessity to provide broader flexibility to States in their effort to reward work, lift people out…”

“I rise to discuss the necessity to provide broader flexibility to States in their effort to reward work, lift people out of poverty, and benefit children. As we contemplate the reauthorization of the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families, TANF, program, we have to ask ourselves: On what basis do we want to judge the success of welfare reform? Will we focus only on the reduction of case loads and increases in work participation, without regard to whether the wage levels raise families out of poverty and children are better off? Or, do we want to build a system that truly breaks the cycle of poverty and supports the long-term economic well-being of welfare recipients and results in a better future for children? We need to move to the next generation of welfare reform. Our goal should be to reduce poverty, reward work, and ensure the well-being of children. Much of the debate on welfare policy revolves around the issue of work, but how do we reward work? During the past two decades states have experimented with new approaches to cash welfare assistance for low-income families. These initiatives have included mandatory employment services, earnings supplements, and time limits on welfare receipt. How do we know which strategies work best?…”