Congressman Robert Hurt
This past week, the House of Representatives introduced our budget priorities and we considered two important pieces of legislation to reduce the size and scope of the federal government and get 5th District Virginians and all Americans back to work.
HOUSE BUDGET
Even as Washington politicians assert that the federal government doesn't have a spending problem, the people of Virginia's 5th District remain concerned with the unsustainable fiscal path we are on as a nation. This past week, the House introduced our pro-growth, pro-jobs budget. In doing so, we have proven once again that we are listening to the people that we represent, and that we are willing to take action to balance the budget and restore prosperity for all Americans.
We cannot help hardworking families and small businesses without a pro-growth plan which sets Washington on the path to balancing its budget and paying down the debt. Our budget promotes economic opportunity by balancing in ten years and cutting waste, strengthens critical retirement safety programs for those in and near retirement, preserves these programs for future generations, and reforms our convoluted tax code which stifles investment and takes too much from hard-working families. Most important, our budget operates under the same premise as our families and small businesses across the 5th District, who know that we should not spend more than we take in.
THE SKILLS ACT
As the House of Representatives continues our work to get 5th District Virginians and all Americans into good-paying jobs, workforce training is critical to helping our neighbors, friends, and family members get back to work. Now is the time for Congress to ensure the programs in place are actually helping those they intend to help.
With millions of Americans unemployed or underemployed, this measure will modernize our federal workforce training programs to ensure that they are efficiently and effectively helping workers, jobseekers, and employers.
While well-intended, current federal work training programs are laden with confusing and costly red tape, and they are wasting billions of hard-earned tax dollars. A strong workforce is critical to the future of our country, and the SKILLS Act is a positive step toward strengthening these programs, eliminating unnecessary waste, and getting people back to work.
PRESERVING WORK REQUIREMENTS FOR WELFARE PROGRAMS ACT
Last year, the Obama Administration attempted to weaken the 1996 bipartisan welfare reform law by waiving a requirement that helps those receiving welfare get back to work. This critical piece of the reform law strengthened our welfare system, empowered Americans across this country to realize their ability to provide for themselves and for their families, and decreased the number of those needing welfare.
The Administration's attempts to weaken the welfare system will only harm those who are looking to turn their welfare check into a paycheck. This week, the House of Representatives adopted the Preserving Work Requirements For Welfare Programs Act to ensure that these critical reforms remain in place.
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