THE WHITE HOUSE AT WORK



Wednesday, May 27, 1998

PRESIDENT CLINTON:
WELFARE TO WORK IS WORKING

We've got to prove that we did the right thing in welfare reform for all the American people that are willing to do the right thing by themselves, their children, and our country. And if we ever needed evidence that it is right, we've got it here today in full.

- President Bill Clinton
May 27, 1998

Today, in the East Room, President Clinton is joined by Secretary of Labor Alexis Herman, Secretary of Health and Human Services Donna Shalala, Small Business Administrator Aida Alzarez, Eli Segal, President of the Welfare to Work Partnership, and Gerald Greenwald, Chief Executive Officer of United Airlines and Chairman of the Board for the Welfare to Work Partnership, to celebrate the first anniversary of the Welfare-to-Work Partnership, which enlists the private sector to hire people from welfare to work. The President will be announcing Welfare-to-Work competitive grants to help place the most disadvantaged welfare recipients in lasting jobs.

Welfare-To-Work Is Putting People To Work. In 1996, President Clinton signed sweeping welfare reform legislation aimed at moving welfare recipients onto the payrolls. One year ago, the White House launched the Welfare-to-Work Partnership, an independent, non-partisan effort by companies nationwide to hire welfare recipients. A year later, the Welfare-to-Work Partnership is making great progress. The President will highlight several of the Partnership's key accomplishments:

Strengthening A Solid Record Of Accomplishment. Welfare rolls have fallen 37 percent since the President took office in 1993 and 27 percent since the enactment of welfare reform in 1996. Today, the percentage of the U.S. population on welfare -- 3.3 percent -- is at its lowest level since 1969. To sustain the success of welfare reform, the President fought to include a $3 billion Welfare-to-Work fund as part of the Balanced Budget Act of 1997. Today, the President will announce:



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