Images (203)
Showing first 60 of 203 pages.
Document
| id |
id
565357125
|
|---|---|
| contentType |
contentType
document
|
| source |
source
import
|
Source image fields (6)
Extracted text
OCR Page 1 of 203reform legislation, were given to the top ten states with the best records in each of four
categories related to moving parents on welfare into jobs and their success in the
workforce. The states ranked the highest in each category are Indiana (job placement),
Minnesota (job success, measured by job retention and earnings), Washington (biggest
improvement in job placement) and Florida (biggest improvement in job success,
measured by job retention and earnings). According to reports filed by the 46 states
competing for these bonuses, more than 1.3 million welfare recipients nationwide went to
work in just the one year period between October 1997 and September 1998. Retention
rates were also promising: 80 percent of those who got jobs were still working three
months later. States also reported an average earnings increase of 23 percent for former
welfare recipients, from $2,088 in the first quarter of employment to $2,571 in the third
quarter.
Q:
Has poverty among children increased under the Clinton/Gore Administration?
A:
No. Overall, there are now 2.2 million fewer children living in poverty than in 1993 (15.7
million in 1993 compared to 13.5 million in 1998) and, the child poverty rate declined
from 22.7 percent to 18.9 percent - the largest five-year drop in nearly 30 years. There
have also been historic declines in the African-American and Hispanic child poverty
rates, though both remain too high. From 1993 to 1998, the poverty rate among young
children (under age six) has declined from a high of 26 percent (6.1 million children) to
20.6 percent (4.8 million children). This recent decrease came after a 52 percent increase
between 1978 and 1993.
Q:
Are there more children living in extreme poverty?
A:
No. We're encouraged to see that the number of children living in extreme poverty (50%
of the federal poverty level or $6,400 for a family of three) dropped by nearly 600,000
between 1997 and 1998 (from 6.4 million to 5.8 million). The rate of extreme child
poverty also dropped, from 9 percent to 8.1 percent. Since President Clinton and Vice
President Gore took office, 1.2 million fewer children are living in extreme poverty - a
drop of 18 percent, from 7 million in 1993 to 5.8 million in 1998.
Q:
What has this Administration done to help families move out of poverty?
A:
President Clinton and Vice President Gore have worked for the seven years to raise
incomes, make work pay, help families make a successful transition from welfare to
work, and extend opportunity to all. This includes raising the minimum wage, expanding
the Earned Income Tax Credit, enacting the Children's Health Insurance Program, and
promoting investment in underserved communities. The latest data released by the
Census Bureau show we are making tremendous progress.
The President has warned Congress not to renege on the bipartisan commitment to help
states and communities finish the job of welfare reform. He vigorously opposed attempts
to cut the welfare block grant and the EITC tax refund for low income workers. The
EITC lifted 4.3 million people out of poverty in 1998. To finish the job, we need to raise
the minimum wage, increase our investment in childcare, transportation and housing
vouchers, and help ensure that working families receive the health insurance and
8
Relations
belongs_to