Curbelo Joins House Leadership's Weekly Press Conference to Discuss Welfare-to-Work Bill That Heads to the House Floor Friday

Statement

"Thank you, Madame Chairman. This is my first time here and it's an honor for me. My prayers and thoughts also remain with Steve Scalise, with his family, and with all who were injured in last week's tragic event. And I agree with Cathy McMorris Rogers, we must come together as a country to heal.

"I want to thank Leader McCarthy and Speaker Ryan for bringing my bipartisan bill, the Accelerating Individuals into the Workforce Act, to the floor this week. I also want to thank Chairman Brady and Ranking Member Neal for their support in the Committee, and my Democratic colleague, Congressman Davis, for being my partner in this legislation.

"The federal government spends more than half a trillion dollars each year on measures to combat poverty. Unfortunately, despite this large investment, there are still over 43 million people living in poverty in our country. Now while we have made progress, there are additional steps we can take to help more individuals move from welfare programs to long-term employment.

"So this week, the House of Representatives is doing its part to make sure we are empowering Americans who are struggling to find work and improve their lives.

"H.R. 2842, the Accelerating Individuals into the Workforce Act, bridges the gap between low-income Americans looking for work and employers who want and need to fill jobs. It incentivizes employer partnerships with state and local agencies to provide jobs and work experience, including apprenticeships, and this all goes to recipients of the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program, transitioning them out of welfare and into the workforce. The bill also empowers local communities by giving them the ability to control how TANF dollars are spent instead of forcing them into an inflexible, Washington-based program.

"A job is something that dignifies the human condition. It is an opportunity for every individual to make a contribution to their families, their local communities, and to our country. This bill is an innovative solution that will give more people access to that opportunity.

"We'll be voting on this legislation Friday, and given poverty is an issue that affects every district, I encourage all of my colleagues to support this bipartisan legislation and help the neediest Americans get on a path to success."

Source