Washington, Aug 21 -  On the same day U.S. Representative Clay Shaw celebrates his 46^th wedding anniversary, he will also help South Florida celebrate the 10 year anniversary of the historic welfare reform law, which has changed the lives of hundreds of thousands of Florida families by lifting them out of poverty and onto a path of self-sufficiency.

Shaw, (R-Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach) was the chief architect for the 1996 Welfare Reform Act. August 22, 2006 marks the 10 year anniversary of President Clinton signing Shaw’s legislation into law.

Shaw, who was Chairman of the Ways and Means Subcommittee on Human Resources in 1996 and shepherded the legislation through the House, said he is most proud of this legislative accomplishment. “Welfare reform has successfully lifted thousands of South Floridians out of poverty and away from welfare dependence,” said Shaw. “Welfare reform has empowered families throughout our state and our county to join the workforce and not only survive, but thrive.”

Over the last 10 years, the welfare reform law has not only proven to be what has been called the most effective social policy change our nation has seen in a half-century, but in South Florida, the number of families who receive welfare has dropped by as much as 92 percent. The most remarkable declines occurred among those families which included an adult who received welfare. The 1996 Welfare Reform Law required States to engage adult recipients of welfare in work activities, and the dramatic declines in the number of families with an adult recipient speak to the success of this reform in moving thousands and thousands of families from welfare to work.

In 1996, before the new welfare law was implemented in Broward County, there were 15,483 families receiving welfare. Today, that number has dropped to less than 4,000, resulting in a 74 percent decrease. During the same time period, the number of families which included an adult who received welfare in Broward County declined even more dramatically –from 11,573 to 1,130, which is a 90 percent decrease.

Ten years ago in Palm Beach County, 8,706 families were receiving welfare. Today, there are 2,084 – a 76 percent decrease. During the same time period, the number of families which included an adult who received welfare in Palm Beach County declined from 6,519 to only 508, resulting in a 92 percent decrease.

In Miami-Dade County, there were more than 47,000 families receiving welfare ten years ago. Today, there are less than 8,000, which is an 83 percent drop in the welfare numbers. During the same time period, the number of families which included an adult who received welfare in Miami-Dade County sharply declined from 37,067 to 3,447, which is a 91 percent decrease.

The success rates in Florida are much higher than the national average. Statewide, the number of families on welfare in 1996 was more than 200,000. Today, 50,000 families receive welfare assistance, which is a 75 percent decrease over ten years. The national average is 57 percent.

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