Politics

Walker: We Should Encourage Welfare Recipients To Work

REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni

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Juliegrace Brufke Capitol Hill Reporter
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NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. —  Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker is working on welfare reforms that encourage people to work and educate themselves so they are marketable for jobs, he told the crowd Thursday at the Conservative Political Action Conference.

Walker praised former Wisconsin Gov. Tommy Thompson’s work on reforming entitlements, adding he plans to continue his work with his “Wisconsin Works for Everyone” initiative.

“It’s a simple concept — everyone who is able to work has to be enrolled or employed at least 80 hours a month if they want to get benefits like food stamps and housing vouchers,” he said.  “And for those who can’t find work, we require them to be employed in job training.

Walker said he has heard from employers who have jobs, but haven’t been able to find candidates qualified to fill the positions. He said the his planned reforms would require those receiving welfare benefits will be wither required to work or in some sort of job training .

“It’s simple, we want to help our fellow citizen, but we understand that public assistance should be a trampoline, not a hammock,” he continued.

Walker said with a Republican now in the White House he also hopes to ensure all those who are receiving federal benefits can pass a drug test.

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