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Michelle Dimarob, or Sarah Swinehart (202) 226-4774 | ||
Despite Promises of Transparency, Obama Administration Suppresses Report That Would Detail Rise in Welfare Dependence
Thursday, October 25, 2012
The 1994 law requires HHS to issue this report to leaders of key Congressional committees with jurisdiction over various welfare programs: the House Committees on Ways and Means; Education and the Workforce; Agriculture; and Energy and Commerce and the Senate Committees on Finance; Health, Education, Labor and Pensions; and Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry. Today, the Republican House Chairmen and Senate Ranking Members of these Committees sent a letter to HHS Secretary Sebelius asking for an immediate response as to (1) why HHS has failed to issue this report during her nearly four years as Secretary, and (2) when HHS expects to finally issue this report. A copy of the letter is available here. If issued, this report would reveal that dependence on government benefits has risen sharply during the Obama Administration. All the more troubling is the fact that, while suppressing this annual report on welfare dependence for nearly four years, HHS recently took action to illegally waive work requirements for welfare recipients, which will result in even more welfare dependence. In their letter to Secretary Sebelius, the Chairmen and Ranking Members wrote, “HHS has failed to issue even one of these annual reports required by law during the nearly four years you have been Secretary. It also means that the 2009 annual report is now more than 1,000 days overdue.” Additional Background about the Indicators of Welfare Dependence Report: Fact: HHS is required by law to issue an annual report on welfare receipt and dependence. Section 232 of the Social Security Act Amendments of 1994 declared that the "Secretary shall prepare annual reports on welfare receipt in the United States," and that these reports must be submitted "annually thereafter." Fact: This report details the degree of welfare receipt and dependence, with additional data broken out by age, gender, race, and family status. Past reports have shown that welfare receipt is concentrated among female-headed families, that families on welfare are twice as likely to have no one working than to have someone in the labor force, and that welfare dependence often continues year after year. Fact: Through October 25, 2012, 1,395 days have elapsed since the 2008 report was issued on December 30, 2008. This means the “next” (that is, 2009) annual report is now more than 1,000 days overdue. Fact: Previous Administrations faithfully complied with this annual report requirement, with annual reports being issued each year from 2000 through 2008. Only the Obama Administration has failed to issue this report – in 2009, 2010, and 2011.
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