Letters Highlight Support from Romney, GOP Governors for State Flexibility in Moving People from Welfare to Work

WASHINGTON - Ways and Means Committee Ranking Member Sander Levin (D-MI) today made the following statement in response to Republicans opposing an initiative by the Department of Health and Human Services to consider requests from the states to operate demonstration projects within the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program to help recipients prepare for, find and maintain employment:
 
“For more than a decade we have heard pleas from Republican Governors to allow states more flexibility in achieving the goal of moving people from welfare to work.  Even Mitt Romney supported more flexibility when he was a Governor.  But now that the Department of Health and Human Services has responded to those repeated requests, Republicans claim it’s the end of welfare reform as we know it.  That’s absurd.”  
 
“Under a demonstration project, states must still achieve employment outcomes and there is no change to current funding levels or time limits on benefits. The only change is states are allowed to focus on outcomes, rather than on process and paperwork.  Republicans used to support state flexibility, but now they seem to think Washington always knows best.”    
 
The following quotes are from letters from the National Governors Association (NGA), or in one case the Republican Governors Association (RGA), that were signed by Republican Governors: 
 
2002 NGA Letter to Congress from Governor John Engler (R-MI)  
 
“Governors believe it was [state] flexibility, rather than a one-size-fits-all approach, that led to the great success of welfare reform.  Governors also believe that states should have greater flexibility to define what counts as a work activity to help them meet performance targets under the TANF program.  As states address recipients’ needs on a more individualized basis, many states are finding that a combination of activities...leads to the greatest success for some individuals.”
 
2005 RGA Letter to Congress from Governor Mitt Romney (R-MA)
 
“The Senate bill [2005 Senate Finance Committee bill on TANF] provides states with the flexibility to manage their TANF programs and effectively serve low-income populations. Increased waiver authority, allowable work activities, availability of partial work credit and the ability to coordinate state programs are all important aspects of moving recipients from welfare to work.”
 
2005 NGA Letter to Congress from Governor Haley Barbour (R-MS)
 
“...we urge you to continue state flexibility of the TANF block grant, which was the cornerstone of the 1996 welfare reform law.  Governors support a demonstration project that would allow up to 10 states to test the premise that a state welfare program can achieve better results, helping people achieve true self-sufficiency, if they are given greater flexibility to best meet individual needs.”
 
2006 NGA Letter to HHS from Governor Mike Huckabee (R-AK)
 
“...the law’s [the 2005 Deficit Reduction Act] changes could restrict state flexibility, potentially impeding future progress of the TANF program.  Our goal is to work with you to ensure regulations promulgated by your department allow states the flexibility to build upon our past successes.”
 
2006 NGA Letter to HHS from Governor Tim Pawlenty (R-MN)
 
“Governors are concerned with the strict limitations placed on serving families with severe barriers to work; providing educational and skills-based training; and meeting new supervision, documentation and verification requirements.” 
 
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