Congressional Republicans are negotiating with Democrats and the White House this week over changes in the welfare bill. These talks may determine whether last year's welfare reform succeeds in moving people from the dole to the work force. At the moment, it looks likelier that new regulations and loopholes will gut state work requirements.
Language has been inserted into the Senate bill that would prohibit companies participating in state-sponsored welfare-to-work programs from hiring "that will infringe in any way upon the promotional opportunities of employed individuals." This could eliminate most productive employment opportunities available to people moving off welfare. Moreover, the threat of union-inspired litigation, and the intricacies of complying with the language, could discourage private employers from participating in state efforts to find work for welfare recipients.
Also contentious are grievance procedures. Under both House and Senate language, disgruntled workers at firms that hired former welfare recipients could subject their employers to special grievance procedures for reasons ranging from sex discrimination to displacement. The result would be financial penalties imposed by the Labor Department. Jason Turner, an architect of Wisconsin's successful welfare reform, notes that if the grievance language becomes law it will "absolutely, positively, cause the withdrawal of thousands of work opportunities in Wisconsin."
House Republicans are toiling to fix these problems, which is why it was disappointing to see Senate Republican Rick Santorum quoted in the July 8 Washington Post characterizing efforts to tighten the work requirements as "just silly." Not silly at all, as the goal is simply to prevent the work requirements from being weakened. Santorum also noted that the "welfare reform law is doing magnificent things." One reason for that is the work requirements. Unless congressional Republicans remain vigilant in the next few weeks, they could find their past work on welfare all for naught.