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Congressman Bob Goodlatte

Congressman Bob Goodlatte’s Weekly Column: August 26, 2016
A Better Way to Fight Poverty in America
By Congressman Bob Goodlatte
 
Washington, DC (August 26, 2016) - Take a minute to let it sink in: 46.7 million people live in poverty in the United States, including one in five children. These numbers are hard to swallow. So often we talk about living the American dream. We are a culture where success and prosperity are celebrated. However, we do not talk nearly as often about the reality of many people in our communities living with much less.

The unfortunate truth is that the current welfare system has a created a cycle of poverty and dependence that is difficult to break. This is one of the major problems facing America today and deserves the attention of America’s lawmakers. That’s why House Republicans recently unveiled the “A Better Way” agenda, including a plan to fight poverty, which is available online at https://better.gop.

In order to break the cycle of poverty, we must reward work. A job is a critical step on the ladder out of poverty. Under this plan, if someone is able to work, they should work. Not surprisingly, 89 percent of Americans agree, but our welfare programs do not reflect this attitude. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, commonly referred to as food stamps, was originally intended as an income supplement to help needy individuals and families meet their nutritional needs. However, an increasing number of recipients are work-capable adults with no dependents and who are not seeking employment. This program is no longer functioning properly, and needs careful reform to ensure that it is not discouraging folks from working.

Another idea in the agenda is to improve schools and skills. One way to help the next generation escape poverty is to provide them workforce training that leads to better opportunities by preparing them for the jobs in demand today. A large component of this is making sure state and local leaders have more authority in making these decisions, not the Washington bureaucracy. They are the ones who ultimately know what students need most. Additionally, one of the most important pieces of this plan is implementing tools to assess results and increase accountability to taxpayers. Continuing to throw money at a problem without really measuring if the program works is poor stewardship of hard-earned taxpayer dollars. Success of a program should be measured by how many people are truly given a hand up out of poverty and into deeper engagement with our economies and communities.

There is a better way to fight poverty in America. The ideas included in this agenda are just the starting point for discussion in Congress. But it’s a combined effort – food pantries, churches, and other charities are doing their part, and I am proud to see the work of these groups in the Sixth District to help those who need it most. That’s how we break the cycle of poverty. And that’s how we all benefit – by helping more people reach their full potential.

 
 
 

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