bush breakout

ADJUSTING COURSE

President George W. Bush's proposal comes four months before the welfare reform law expires in July, when the law must be rewritten and approved by Congress. His approval calls for several changes including:

Requiring a 40-hour work week by welfare recipients (up from the current 30 hours). At the same time, however, the president wants to give states more flexibility to count education, job training or substance abuse treatment as work. Therefore, the proposal would require that only 24 hours be spent in the workplace.

Allowing three months out of every 24 months to be used for substance-abuse treatment.

Expanding the federal government's waiver authority in major welfare programs (food stamps, housing, workforce programs, adult education) so states will have the flexibility needed to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of these programs.

Maintaining the current levels of the TANF block grant at $16.5 billion a year through 2007, which Bush intends to give states the resources they need to build stronger programs and help families achieve self-sufficiency by climbing the career ladder.

Promoting "healthy marriages" by subsidizing experiments in five or six states that want to provide classes, counseling and other help for couples. The White House's welfare document says that "the administration plans to commit up to $300 million per year" for such programs.