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1993.11.10 :  Statement Regarding Welfare Reform Proposal

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Contact: Melissa Skolfield
Wednesday, Nov. 10, 1993 
(202) 690-6853

STATEMENT REGARDING WELFARE REFORM PROPOSAL

The co-chairs of President Clinton's Working Group on Welfare
Reform issued the following statement today in response to the
release of welfare reform legislation by House Republicans.  The
cochairs are HHS Assistant Secretary for Children and Families Mary
Jo Bane, HHS Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation David
T. Ellwood, and Deputy Assistant to the President for Domestic
Policy Bruce Reid.

"We are pleased that the Republicans in the House of
Representatives have entered the debate on welfare reform.  We will
certainly be looking closely at their legislation in the weeks
ahead as we work with Congress and the states and localities to
continue the development of the Administration's plan.  Many of
their proposals address the President's vision for reform, which
stresses work, family, opportunity and responsibility.

"Clearly there is broad consensus throughout the country and across
party lines for fundamental change in the welfare system.  The
emphasis in the Republican plan on work and parental responsibility
is very much in keeping with the President's goals.

"While we applaud their emphasis on work, some elements of the plan
concern us, such as the cap on the Earned Income Tax Credit -a
powerful work incentive which has bipartisan support -- and the
across-the-board cuts in cost-effective nutrition programs which
are likely to shift costs to the state.  Much more can and should
also be done to crack down on parents who fail to pay child
support.  Most importantly, we want a plan that focuses both on
opportunity and responsibility, to ensure that Americans can and do
work and become self-sufficient in the work force.  As the
President said in his February 17 address to Congress, `In the end,
we want people not to need us any more.'

"We look forward to working with Congress on a bipartisan basis to
develop a plan which fulfills the President's vision of a welfare
system which truly helps people to work and become self-
sufficient."