Chairman Smith Opening Statement: Hearing on the 30th Anniversary of Welfare Reform

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith (MO-08) delivered the following statement at a Work & Welfare Subcommittee Hearing on Welfare Reform at 30: Restoring the Promise of Work and Personal Responsibility in Federal Welfare Programs.

As prepared for delivery.

"Thank you Chairman LaHood and Ranking Member Davis for holding today's hearing.

"This is not the first time the Ways and Means Committee has marked the anniversary of the 1996 welfare reforms by taking the opportunity to reflect on their impact. In debate after debate following passage of the One, Big, Beautiful Bill, we've heard from our friends on the other side of the aisle about how work requirements to receive public benefits will have a catastrophic impact on low-income and working families' lives. It's not lost on me that similar arguments were made 30 years ago, so it's worth revisiting the impact of these changes to have a sense how changes to other programs may play out.

"As we look back on the success of the 1996 TANF reforms and the progress that has followed, we should remind ourselves why reform was needed in the first place. Prior to those reforms, we had a welfare system that did far too much to create dependence on government assistance, to trap people in these programs, and far too little to encourage those who needed our help to also experience the dignity of work and the rewards of personal responsibility that can come with it. That was, after all, why leaders in both parties, including President Clinton, knew that change was desperately needed.

"Today, despite what I would hope would be bipartisan agreement that work is beneficial for individuals and their families - creating that path to greater independence and self-sufficiency - we still hear a lot of concern from our Democrat colleagues that they see work requirements as a bridge too far for those receiving welfare.

"Yet, the facts show that the TANF reforms of 1996 had a transformational, positive impact. Following enactment of those reforms, welfare caseloads dropped dramatically from nearly 4.4 million in 1995 to 570,000 in 2024. As important, if not more important, outcomes for the folks the program was designed to help also improved dramatically. For example, employment among single moms went up nearly 40 percent in just the first four years after implementation, and real earnings roughly doubled.

"However, we know that today improvements are still needed - especially when it comes to achieving greater accountability at the state level and combating fraud to ensure resources are prioritized for those most in need. To that end, the Ways and Means Committee recently approved H.R. 8872, the Preventing Waste, Fraud, and Abuse in TANF Act to improve the integrity of that program.

"At the end of the day, it is one thing to look at the data and discuss how these policies can work to improve outcomes, but it is also vital that we hear from those who have directly participated in our nation's welfare programs. That is why I am grateful that we have a great group of witnesses who can provide personal experiences from their perspectives with the welfare system. One in particular, Misty Kelso from my home state of Missouri, is here to testify on her personal journey navigating and working with and within the welfare system.

"Ms. Kelso - I always appreciate having a fellow Missourian with us. Thank you for agreeing to participate, to share your lived experience, and for what you do today to help others in need.

"Thank you to all of our witnesses for helping the policymakers on this Committee learn more about not just the financial security a job and steady paycheck can provide but also the benefits to the individuals and families who deserve to experience the dignity of work and all that it offers."