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    Morning Bell: Obama Doesn’t Just Gut Welfare Reform, He Turns It Upside Down

    The controversy over the Obama Administration’s gutting of welfare reform continues to grow. Two new government reports show the move’s illegality and effects on taxpayers. And the House of Representatives is set to vote today to approve or disapprove Health and Human Services’ (HHS) rewriting of the 1996 law. Yesterday, … More

    Food Stamp Participation Doubled Among Able-Bodied Adults After Obama Suspended Work Requirement

    A new report from the Congressional Research Service (CRS) confirms that food stamp participation doubled among able-bodied adults after the Obama Administration suspended the program’s work requirements. As Heritage’s Kiki Bradley notes: The welfare reform of 1996 requires that after three months on food stamps, recipients be engaged in some … More

    Morning Bell: Clinton Is Wrong on Welfare Reform

    Last night, in his nationally televised speech, former President Bill Clinton said the charge that President Obama has gutted welfare reform was “a real doozy.” Clinton, who vetoed welfare reform twice before signing the welfare reform law in 1996, echoed the Obama Administration and media “fact checkers,” who have sworn … More

    Clinton Defends Obama on Gutting of His Welfare Reform Law

    Last night, former President Bill Clinton claimed that President Obama had not gutted welfare reform. Clinton proclaimed that Obama would actually strengthen welfare reform by urging states to increase the number of people moving “from welfare to work” by 20 percent. What is Obama really doing? In July, the Obama … More

    Gingrich Blasts ‘Radical’ Obama’s Drive to Illegally Gut Welfare Reform

    Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, who was instrumental in passing welfare reform in the 1990s, blasted President Obama’s attempt to gut the law in a conference call on Wednesday. “Hard-core liberals like Barack Obama were deeply opposed to the bill,” Gingrich said, referring to the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity … More

    Obama Supported Work Requirements Before He Was Against Them (VIDEO)

    During his run for the presidency in 2008, Barack Obama praised the work requirements that were the centerpiece of welfare reform — the very requirements his administration just gutted. During a discussion with pastor Rick Warren at Saddleback Church, Obama declared: “[O]ne of the things that I am absolutely convinced … More

    Obama Administration Rebuffs Congressional Inquiry on Legality of Gutting Welfare Reform

    Two Members of Congress demanded an official explanation from Obama’s Health and Human Services Department (HHS) for its gutting of welfare work requirements—and HHS responded by saying (in many more words), “Well, years ago, some Republicans tried to do this.” Except they didn’t. Not only did Secretary Kathleen Sebelius completely … More

    Family Fact of the Week: How Welfare Reform Helped Families

    The best anti-poverty program is a job. That was the mantra of the 1996 welfare reform, which changed the Aid to Families with Dependent Children program into the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program, for the first time requiring able-bodied welfare recipients to work or prepare for work in … More

    HHS Investigating Welfare Spending at Casinos, Liquor Stores, Strip Clubs

    The Administration for Children and Families, a division of the Department of Health and Human Services, is investigating whether, and how, federal welfare funds have been used at liquor stores, casinos, and strip clubs – all prohibited under federal law. Under legislation that extended a payroll tax holiday, passed by … More

    Virginia Drug Tests for Welfare Recipients and Personal Responsibility

    On Tuesday, the Virginia senate approved a bill that would require an initial drug screening of welfare applicants, followed by drug testing if officials suspected illegal drug use. Those who test positive or refuse to test altogether would lose Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (cash assistance) benefits for a year. … More