House Panel Offers Second Welfare Plan

The House Education and Labor Committee passed its version of a new work and education program for welfare recipients Wednesday, after two days of relatively mild conflict between Democrats and Republicans.

There was no audible dissent in the panel’s voice vote to report the Fair Work Opportunities Act to the House floor.

The bill is a variation on a major welfare-to-work program approved earlier by the House Ways and Means Committee. It would require most welfare recipients to participate in education, training or jobs.

States would have to guarantee day care or after-school supervision for children 3 to 14 for parents who participate. The bill authorizes $150 million to help states expand child-care services.

In addition, the measure authorizes $500 million for transitional work and education services to welfare recipients while the new program is phased in. It must be operating in all states by Oct. 1, 1989.

The education and labor bill, sponsored by the committee chairman, Rep. Augustus F. Hawkins (D-Los Angeles), bans mandatory “workfare,” the placing of welfare recipients in public service to work off their grants.

It does permit states and communities to set up “work experience” programs of up to 30 hours a week for up to three months if they are designed to develop marketable skills.

In addition, the Hawkins bill says states may give welfare recipients transitional, subsidized jobs for up to one year if they have undergone training and still cannot find work.