Issue Position: Welfare

Issue Position

Issue Position: Welfare

The first stage of welfare reform has largely been a success story. From the time TANF legislation was first enacted in 1996 to September of 2003, Arkansas' welfare rolls dropped by 51%. Additionally, during that same time period, the number of Arkansas families who were forced to rely upon cash assistance from TANF was cut in half.

I have been working to reauthorize the TANF program since 2002 so that this success story can continue. Although I am disappointed at the partisan spirit that has pervaded this reauthorization process, I remain committed to passing meaningful TANF legislation that will foster self-sufficiency through work among welfare recipients while addressing barriers to work they may face.

Lack of access to child care is one such barrier to work that many Arkansas families face, which is why I have supported efforts to significantly increase funding in TANF for child care. Increased funding for child care would reduce Arkansas' long waiting lists as well as divert potential welfare recipients from ever going on the welfare rolls by providing them with the child care they need. It has been shown that the success of state welfare reform efforts is largely dependent on its ability to provide adequate child care.

I introduced a bill entitled the Making Work Pay Act which would reward states for placing workers in jobs and reward them even more for placing them in higher-paying jobs. Current law simply rewards states for moving people off the welfare rolls. I will work to ensure that my provision is included in any TANF bill that comes before the Senate because moving people into employment and a life of self-sufficiency and independence is the underlying objective of the TANF program.

I also am committed to a TANF bill that addresses job training, transportation and other barriers to work including mental illness, domestic abuse, and substance abuse. It was my hope that the Senate would have passed this legislation earlier this year, however partisan politics prevented the debate from moving forward. As a member of the Senate Finance Committee with jurisdiction over TANF legislation, I will continue to work with my colleagues to craft a proposal that adequately addresses the issues that are critical to the families of Arkansas.

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