Statement on Welfare Reform Initiatives in Delaware

Today my administration has approved a bold plan for welfare reform in Delaware that promotes work, requires parental responsibility, and protects children. Delaware is the 28th State welfare reform experiment to be freed from Federal rules and regulations under this administration. Under Governor Tom Carper's leadership, Delaware will impose a time limit on benefits, provide job training opportunities, increase child support enforcement, and require teenage mothers to live at home and stay in school.

In particular, I am pleased that Delaware joins 14 other States in requiring welfare recipients to sign personal responsibility agreements, which is a contract for work, in order to receive assistance. These contracts were an important part of the welfare reform legislation I sent Congress last year and are essential to real reform that moves people from welfare to work. Personal responsibility is at the heart of welfare reform, and personal responsibility contracts must be part of any national welfare reform plan.

I will continue to work with Congress to enact welfare reform legislation that includes real work requirements and the incentives and resources for States to move people from welfare to work. Welfare reform must be tough on work and on parents who walk away from their responsibilities, not tough on children.