In an effort to help people that are currently on welfare get back to work, Congressman Zach Wamp (R-TN) voted in favor of a 2002 Welfare Reform bill that focuses on strengthening work requirements and promoting stable marriages.

"Since 1996, when Republicans took over the House and passed landmark welfare reform legislation, 9 million people have transitioned from getting welfare checks to picking up pay checks," said Wamp. "The reform bill that the House passed today builds on that success by increasing the work requirements to receive benefits. When people are working, they have independence, a better quality of life and a sense of purpose that productivity brings to the human experience."

Under this legislation, states will be required to have 70 percent of welfare families working and participating in other job-preparation activities 40 hours per week by 2007, of which up to 16 hours can be education or training. Currently, only 30 hours is required.

"This legislation is based on the fact that children who are raised in stable married families are far less likely to live in poverty. I gladly support this bill because it directs up to $300 million annually to programs to that promote healthy marriages, including pre-marital education and counseling," continued Wamp.

Key components of House Republican welfare reform include:

* Helping welfare recipients achieve independence through work by increasing minimum work requirements by five percent per year.

* Protecting children and strengthening families by increasing childcare funding and improving the quality of childcare. The legislation encourages healthy marriages and two-parent married families by offering pre-marital education and counseling, as well as efforts to promote responsible fatherhood; and

* Encouraging program innovation by states by establishing broad "State Flex" authority. This will allow states to improve program effectiveness or coordinate a range of programs in order to improve service delivery.