Bob Wise: “I want to talk about welfare reform, because the action today taken by the House I think is very significant. In both…”

“I want to talk about welfare reform, because the action today taken by the House I think is very significant. In both bills that were debated today there were common elements. Both bills created a single welfare block grant, a cash block grant, to replace the traditional AFDC, aid to families with dependent children program. Both bills limited the spending for the block grant at $16.4 billion for this next fiscal year. Those bills created a $2 billion contingency fund for States to use to meet their needs in time of recession. Both bills require work of welfare recipients, and both bills have a cutoff from welfare after 5 years. So what is the difference between the Republican leadership bill and the bill that I supported, the bipartisan Republican and Democrat compromise, the Castle-Tanner bill? The difference in the bills is very, very important. I supported a bill that requires work for all welfare recipients. I supported a bill that would limit the spending for welfare. I supported a bill that provides help to States in times of recession. I supported a bill that was better for kids but strict on their parents. And I supported a bill that met the Republican budget requirements to cut $53 billion from the existing welfare program.”