Welfare - Summer Welfare Event 2000

Welfare to Work Event August 22, 2000 -- DRAFT Location: In D.C. Could begin at White House and travel with CEOs to off-site location. Possible announcements include: Release new welfare caseload numbers (from first quarter of 2000 or later. Still waiting for numbers, expected any minute from HHS.) May be slower decline. Announce Welfare to Work Partnership has grown to 20,000 companies who have hired xxx,000 former welfare recipients. [Andrea - do we know this number?] Welfare to Work Partnership will submit report to President on its progress and future recommendations. (Will be ready.) Announce High Performance Bonus Final Rule (should be ready for clearance in early August, 90 days is up on 8/13 - would need extension) Announce FY 99 state work participation rates (Would be ready. Expected to be released week of 7/10.) Likely to be released week of 7/10. Release 3ʳᵈ Annual TANF Report to Congress including FY 99 data on caseload trends, summary of state policy choices, and summary of research findings. Should be ready for 8/22. Expecting first draft 7/6) Announce federal welfare to work hiring numbers (should be over 50,000) under initiative led by the Vice President - four times the goal to hire 10,000 individuals by the year 2000. (VP expected to announce week of 7/10.) Urge Congress to enact our initiatives that help families moving from welfare to work and other low-income working families to succeed: the 3 transportation initiative highlighted on 2/23 (food stamp vehicle asset limit, IDAs for cars, Access to Jobs), Fathers Work/Families Win, Welfare-to-Work extension for current grantees, housing vouchers, EITC, child care. Urge states to invest TANF funds in helping families move to self-sufficiency, not to supplant state funds, reducing overall investment.