Tuesday, July 2, 2002
Bush pushing for welfare overhaul
A story released today by the Associated Press reports that President Bush is trying to move Congress toward his vision of a welfare overhaul, a blend of stiff work requirements and pro-marriage initiatives.
Last week, the Senate Finance Committee approved a new welfare proposal that would spend $5.5 billion to help working parents pay for child care, $1.8 billion more than a House version of the bill passed last month and $1 billion more than the current law.
Besides child care funding, the House and Senate differ over how much welfare recipients would be required to work to receive government aid. The House bill would require people to work 40 hours a week, 10 more than current law. The Senate bill calls for 30 hours a week, and some Democrats are demanding even less.
In a rare area of agreement, both the House and Senate bills include $200 million to promote marriage among welfare recipients.
"The Senate has got work to do, in passing a reauthorization of the welfare reform bill," Bush said Monday.
"We've got to continue to promote work ... to encourage independence," Bush said. "And at the same time we do so, we've got to teach people the values of marriage and family."
The 1996 welfare law expires Sept. 30. A spokeswoman for Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle, Democrat of South Dakota, said that a Senate vote will almost certainly be scheduled this month or after the August recess.
Welfare reform was one of several domestic issues Bush is touting in a tour this week of states critical to his re-election, including Wisconsin, Ohio and West Virginia.
