The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“WE NEED COMMONSENSE REFORM OF THE FAILED WELFARE SYSTEM” mentioning the U.S. Dept. of Commerce was published in the House of Representatives section on pages H7538-H7539 on July 16, 1996.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
WE NEED COMMONSENSE REFORM OF THE FAILED WELFARE SYSTEM
(Mr. HOKE asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 minute.)
Mr. HOKE. Mr. Speaker, according to the Department of Commerce, about 50 percent of all unwed teenage mothers go on welfare within 1 year after giving birth to their first child. More than 75 percent go on welfare within 5 years.
Mr. Speaker, it is almost impossible to disentangle illegitimacy from welfare. They are interrelated to a degree that is undeniable. Welfare, instead of helping people, encourages a value system that distorts the work ethic, destroys family, enables and encourages illegitimacy, and entraps people in a cycle of dependency. In fact, the qualifications for welfare in many instances are just that: One, do not get a job; and two, do not get married.
Since liberals started the war on poverty in the 1960's, the number and the percentage of out-of-wedlock births has skyrocketed. The rise of the welfare state has coincided with widespread family breakdown. Is it really just a coincidence?
Mr. Speaker, we need to restore the work ethic. We need to strengthen families and we need to instill the positive values of personal responsibility and work. simply put, we need serious commonsense reform of the failed welfare system.
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