President George W. Bush addresses the audience during a program honoring graduates of welfare-to-work programs in the East Room Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2003. "In the seven years since welfare was reformed, millions of Americans have shared in this experience. Their lives and our country are better off. Today, more than 2 million fewer families are on welfare -- 2 million fewer than in 1996. It's a reduction of 54 percent," said the President. White House photo by Paul Morse.
President's Welfare Reform Agenda
Last year, Congress began the process of reauthorizing the historic, bipartisan 1996 welfare reform law. According to the Department of Health and Human Services, welfare reform helped to move 4.7 million Americans from welfare dependency to self-sufficiency within three years of enactment, and the number of welfare caseloads has declined by 54% since 1996. The 1996 welfare reform law expired at the end of last year. President Bush is calling on Congress to act now to sustain and expand on the success of welfare reform.
President Bush proposes to make welfare even more focused on the well-being of children and supportive of families. The President's plan is designed to strengthen families and help more welfare recipients work toward independence and self-reliance. The President's welfare reform plan will:
Help more welfare recipients achieve independence through work.
Increase the welfare-to-work resources available for families.
Protect children and strengthen families.
Empower states to seek new and innovative solutions to help welfare recipients achieve independence.
