REFORMING WELFARE

As the dizzying pace of congressional business continues, reform of the nation's bloated welfare system moves to the forefront in the House of Representatives this week. As a senior member of the Agriculture Committee, Rep. Bill Emerson, R-Cape Girardeau, is well-positioned to play a key role in this reform effort, especially regarding food stamps.

As Emerson correctly states, food stamps are only one of 80 federal and state-administered welfare programs. Other big-ticket items include Aid to Families With Dependent Children, Medicaid and Section 8 housing. Last week, the Agriculture Committee passed a set of sweeping reforms of the food stamp program that is its major area of responsibility on this complex issue, and one that is subject to frequent abuse. Among the highlights of the committee proposal:

Harmonize AFDC and Food Stamps: Allow states to use one set of rules for families applying for food stamps and AFDC. Provide one-stop service, making it more recipient-friendly. Make the programs more taxpayer-friendly by eliminating red tape.

Able-bodied Individuals Without Dependents Must Work: People will lose their food stamp eligibility after three months unless they are employed at least 20 hours a week or participate in a workfare program.

Promote Real Jobs With Real Incentives: States can encourage employers to participate in an approved wage supplementation program so that welfare recipients have the opportunity to work in real, private-sector jobs.

Curb Trafficking and Fraud With Increased Penalties: Authorize forfeiture of property legislation. Use forfeiture proceeds to reimburse law enforcement officials. Stop criminals from profiting from the food stamp program. Officials estimate there is approximately $2 billion in illegal trafficking under the current system.

Deny Food Stamps to Non-citizens: Legal immigrants will receive food stamps only after fulfilling residency requirements for citizenship and after applying for citizenship by becoming a naturalized citizen.

Statewide Electronic Benefits Transfer/State Control: Once a state has implemented EBT on a statewide basis, the state will have the option of operating a food stamp under a block grant. Maryland is currently the only state with an operating EBT program.

Spending Capped: With a cap, if costs exceed the authorized level, food stamp benefits will be prorated or food stamp reforms will be instituted to reduce the cost of the program.

Rep. Emerson believes these and other reforms the Agriculture Committee is recommending will save federal taxpayers $16 billion annually. If they comply with the threshold mandates mentioned here, states will enjoy much greater flexibility to run their own programs. This is all to the good, as states can recover their intended role as "laboratories of democracy" for testing which ideas work, and which don't.