Family Welfare Reform Act of 1987. House of Representatives, 100th Congress, 1st Session Report Together with Minority and Additional Views To Accompany H.R. 1720.

This report recommends that Title I of the proposed Family Welfare Reform Act of 1987 (H.R. 1720) be replaced with a Fair Work Opportunities Program. H.R. 1720 is proposed to replace the Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) program of the Social Security Act Title IV. The purpose of the proposed amendment is to assure that needy children and parents obtain the education, training, and employment which will help them avoid long-term welfare dependence. One of the chief criticisms of the present AFDC program is that it provides disincentives to recipients to obtain paid work. Recognizing the importance of education for welfare recipients, the amendment authorizes a comprehensive range of educational services to help participants prepare for employment. Work and training experiences would be coordinated with the existing Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA). The legislation would include demonstration programs to address early childhood development, provisions for child care, and encouragement of parent participation in children's learning. Cost estimates and an inflationary impact statement are included. Dissenting minority views are also included. (FMW)