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States Praise Senators' Collaborative Effort on Welfare Reform

WASHINGTON, D.C. - As a diverse group of Republican, Democrat and independent U.S. Senators unveiled their statement of principles on welfare reform reauthorization today, state legislators welcomed their commitment to ensuring the maximum flexibility for states' welfare reform programs and their consensus approach.

"Flexibility has been the key to states' success in welfare reform over the past five years," said California Assemblywoman Dion Aroner, co-chair of the National Conference of State Legislatures' (NCSL) Task Force on Welfare Reform Reauthorization. "As states are continually faced with new challenges, innovation becomes increasingly important. The provisions announced by the senators are a welcome addition to the welfare reform debate."

At a Capitol Hill news conference today, U. S. Senators John Breaux, Orrin Hatch, Jay Rockefeller, Jim Jeffords, Blanche Lincoln, Olympia Snowe and others released a series of provisions that they will seek to include in any welfare reform reauthorizaton package passed by Congress. Among others, the provisions include:

• Increasing the work participation rate to 70 percent as in the President's plan, however, the current caseload reduction credit would be replaced by a new provision that gives states credit for moving people from welfare to private-sector employment; and
• Maintaining the current 30 hour work requirements rather than the Administration's proposed 40 hour work requirement; and
• Keeping the existing definition of work-related activities and giving states more flexibility to count education and training, adult basic education and substance abuse treatment as work-related activities.

"State legislators believe that everyone who is able should be engaged in efforts toward self-sufficiency while they are receiving public assistance," said New York Senator Ray Meier, co-chair of NCSL's Task Force on Welfare Reform Reauthorization. "The senators' work requirements better reflect the fact that states have achieved success by getting welfare recipients into unsubsidized jobs in the private sector."

Last month, President Bush unveiled his welfare reform reauthorization package that required welfare recipients to be involved in work activities for 40 hours per week. State lawmakers predict states will be forced to focus on subsidized work activities or community work programs to reach the Administration's proposed work rates, rather than helping recipients find private sector work or providing supports for working poor families.

Additionally, the new work requirements would have resulted in an unfunded mandate on states since the president's plan did not include funds for the additional childcare that would be required.

"We commend these senators for working across party lines to craft a comprehensive approach which takes the best of the President's plan, strengthens work requirements, rewards work, keeps the emphasis on private-sector employment and respects states' innovation," concluded Senator Meier.

The National Conference of State Legislatures is the bipartisan organization that serves the legislators and staffs of the states, commonwealths and territories.

NCSL provides research, technical assistance and opportunities for policymakers to exchange ideas on the most pressing state issues and is an effective and respected advocate for the interests of the states in the American federal system.

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