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Collins backs welfare work requirement

By Howard B. Owens

Press release:

Congressman Chris Collins (NY-27) issued the following statement after voting for legislation preserving work requirements for Welfare recipients (H.R. 890, the Preserving Work Requirements for Welfare Programs Act of 2013):

“Requiring work for people receiving payments from certain Welfare programs has proven to be an extremely successful approach since it became law as part of the historic and bipartisan reform of Welfare back in 1996. That is why many were stunned last summer when the Obama Administration announced it would allow states to waive work requirements for people receiving Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) payments.

The Legislation passed in the House prevents the Obama administration from issuing work requirement waivers. These work requirements have a proven history of helping to lift people out of poverty.  It is now my hope that the Senate will address this important issue and that Washington leaders will work together to find more ways to break the cycle of government dependency.”

According to the House Ways and Means Committee report issued last year, between 1996 and 2000, employment of single mothers increased by 15 percent; earnings for female-headed households remained higher in 2009 than in 1996 despite shifting economic conditions; TANF caseloads decreased by 57 percent through December 2011; and child poverty has decreased dramatically and continues below the levels in the 1990s.

C. M. Barons

Collins makes a great point. I'd love to see the CEOs, CFOs and stockholders who suckle at the public teat perform some meaningful labor. Heck. I'd like to see Collins and his fellow members of Congress do something productive. Whoa. One miracle at a time.

Mar 15, 2013, 3:46am Permalink
Dave Olsen

Agree totally, C M . Although I don't have an issue with having people receiving assistance at any level, also doing something back. If they are able to do so.

Mar 15, 2013, 8:24am Permalink
Mark Brudz

As long as there is an income tax, someone will be lined up at the Public Teat to suckle, US Tax Code really has nothing to do with revenue, it is about Government picking and choosing how money is spent and controlling both the populace and business.,

It feeds itself, one of the most repugnant statements that I hear politicians make is; "How are we going to pay for a tax cut" Sadly way too many Americans have bought into that statement as a trueism.

Mar 15, 2013, 9:02am Permalink
Dave Olsen

Slightly off subject, but I was just thinking yesterday while on a 2 hour drive to Elmira about economic stimulus. (yeah I know, boring. I used to daydream about pitching for the Yankees or playing guitar with the Stones) but instead of forking over trillions to big corporations and failed government programs, why not just give a lump sum to everyone who filed income tax last year. Doesn't matter if they paid or received, just filed. With the stipulation that 10% be given to a charity of their choosing, spend the rest or save it, whatever. That would put a huge dent in poverty and get the economy moving again. Like CM says, I'm wishing for miracles.

If my math is correct the 2009 stimulus was 787 billion dollars, divide by 150 million tax filers = $ 5,246.00 each. $ 524.60 x 150 million = 7.87 billion dollars to private charity. $ 4,721.00 in everyones pocket, tax free.

Again, won't happen, but should.

Mar 15, 2013, 9:50am Permalink
Mark Potwora

Mark it shouldn't be called the tax code...it should be called the book of favors.. because thats all it is...tax breaks for one group or another...

Mar 15, 2013, 10:36am Permalink
Dave Olsen

Not that I'm any sort of fan of Ol' dubya, but that was, to me anyway, a rebate of all the taxes we had already paid which supposedly resulted in a surplus at the end of the Clinton administration. It was, admittedly poorly timed. It turns out that the money was needed when he decided to go invading Iraq. Besides, my thought is to include the charitable mandate (and I am almost always against mandates, but would concede this once) which Bush did not. He also only gave us 800 bucks or so.

Mar 15, 2013, 11:10am Permalink

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