Joe Wilson: “I am pleased to say that welfare reform works. Yes, welfare reform works. The monumental reform that this Republican…”

“I am pleased to say that welfare reform works. Yes, welfare reform works. The monumental reform that this Republican House achieved in 1996 allows families to defeat poverty and regain their independence. However, it is time to continue the good work from 1996. I voted last week for the Working Toward Independence Act approved by the Committee on Education and the Workforce, and we need to continue to support measures that promote healthy, two-parent families, and oppose provisions that penalize married couples. President Bush has set an aggressive agenda for keeping families together, and this House has a chance to solidify this effort through the Republican bill for reauthorization. The 2.3 million families who have used the reforms to become self-supporting deserve this reform. The countless numbers of families who are still working to achieve independence need this reform. Why do we need this reform? Because welfare reform works.”