This administration recognizes that the only way to escape poverty is through work, and that is why we have made work and jobs that will pay at least the minimum wage the centerpiece of the reauthorization proposal for the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program.
President Bush and I will insist that welfare recipients receive at least the minimum wage for the hours that they work, including community service jobs. This is an important principle that I fought for as governor of Wisconsin and one that the President and I remain committed to today as we take the next step in welfare reform.
The main focus of this next step is to help welfare recipients climb out of minimum-wage jobs, which is why the President has proposed granting states greater flexibility to provide more opportunities for education and job training. This will enable families to climb the career ladder and achieve self-sufficiency while gaining valuable work experience - the ultimate goal of welfare reform.
The bottom line is: We are proposing no change to the 1996 law governing minimum wage under the TANF law, and this administration has absolutely no intention of abandoning those very important protections.
