Kevin Brady: “the facts show that the economy, as good as it has been, did not bring about the progress in reform and welfare that…”

“the facts show that the economy, as good as it has been, did not bring about the progress in reform and welfare that occurred. In fact, during the 1980s and even through the first 2 years of President Clinton's administration, we created some 18 million new jobs. That is great. But welfare rolls continued to skyrocket. It was not until 1996 when we put these reforms in place that we really started to have able-bodied people, able-minded people, those capable of working getting back to work, because we set such high standards. I served in the Texas legislature when we did welfare reform just 2 years before Congress took it up. I am convinced this is one of the most successful reforms in history between governments and States working together. We have come such a long way from the days where someone who is capable of working could not work for 15 years or more and still receive welfare benefits. That was giving up on them, and we no longer do that. It is important that as we debate this substitute we not go back to those failed experiments.”