Clinton Shows Welfare To Work Is A Success During Chicago Forum

Jet, August 23, 1999

President Clinton celebrated the success of his Welfare to Work initiative at a forum in Chicago.

Clinton listened intently to one successful stow after another from former welfare recipients who have made a smooth transition to the workplace. He also heard from companies who have hired former welfare recipients and are pleased with their job performance.

"The welfare rolls have been cut in half," Clinton said at the forum at Navy Pier in Chicago. "They're at their lowest in 32 years."

The forum was presented by the Welfare to Work Partnership, a private group formed by companies committed to hiring welfare recipients. Clinton helped launch the organization in 1996.

Clinton signed a welfare bill in August 1996 that eliminated the government's guarantee of cash assistance for many welfare recipients.

When Clinton took office in 1993, there were 14.1 million people on welfare. In August 1996, the number dropped to 12.2 million and has since decreased to 7.3 million this year.

One former welfare recipient, Wendy Waxler who now works for the Xerox Corp. in Washington, D.C., said, "This company blessed me. The company took me in like family. They treated me as if I was their daughter," she said.

Clinton said, "We were exhilarated by the stories that these people told. We were gratified by the enlightened self-interest of the employers."

Yet, Clinton said there are more things to do to make the welfare to work program an even bigger success.

"As pleased as we are, we have to do more," he said.

Clinton said he was concerned that people leaving welfare may be improperly losing their Medicaid and food stamp benefits.

He guessed that they simply don't realize that they remain eligible. "We have to work on that."

Clinton noted, "I think clearly what has happened is, a lot of people moved from welfare to work, they're delighted to be at work, and they literally don't know that they're still eligible for this assistance."