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Rick Santorum on Welfare & Poverty
Republican Jr Senator (PA)
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Drafted & managed 1994 Contract with America Welfare Reform
Q: I'm not a libertarian Republican, I'm not a Tea Party Republican. I'm just a mainstream Republican. How can you convince me you won't be torn to one side or the other for many factions within the party?SANTORUM: If you look at my record, I'm someon
who's actually accomplished a lot on big issues. Take for example, welfare reform. I drafted the Contract with America Welfare Reform Bill. It was considered this extreme measure. But I managed that bill and we ended up winning. I didn't believe that
poverty was the ultimate disability. I believed that people could work and they could succeed. And we brought people together. I got 70 votes [out of 100 in the Senate] to end a federal entitlement. I led and got bipartisan support to do it.
Q: Are you concerned at all about the influence of the Tea Party?
SANTORUM: Not at all. I think the Tea Party is a great backstop for America. It is absolutely essential that we have that backbone to the Republican Party going into this election.
Source: 2011 GOP primary debate in Manchester NH
Jun 13, 2011
Voted YES on welfare block grants.
Replacement of federal welfare guarantee with block grants to the states.
Status: Conf Rpt Agreed to Y)78; N)21; NV)1
Reference: Conference Report on H.R. 3734;
Bill H.R. 3734
; vote number 1996-262
on Aug 1, 1996
Voted NO on eliminating block grants for food stamps.
Vote to not allow states the option of getting food stamp funds as a block grant administered by the state, rather than as a federal program, if they meet certain criteria.
Reference:
Bill S 1956
; vote number 1996-218
on Jul 23, 1996
Voted YES on allowing state welfare waivers.
Vote on a procedural motion to allow consideration of an amendment to express the Sense of Congress that the president should approve the waivers requested by states that want to implement welfare reform.
Reference:
Bill S.1956
; vote number 1996-208
on Jul 19, 1996
Voted YES on welfare overhaul.
Approval of an overhaul on the federal welfare system.
Status: Bill Passed Y)87; N)12; NV)1
Reference: Contract w/ America (Welfare Refm);
Bill H.R. 4
; vote number 1995-443
on Sep 19, 1995
Tax credits to promite home ownership in distressed areas.
Santorum co-sponsored the Community Development Homeownership Tax Credit Act
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to permit a community homeownership tax credit based upon an applicable percentage of each qualified residence's eligible basis. Makes such credit available to residences (including factory built homes) located:
- in a census tract with a median gross income not exceeding 80 percent of the greater area or statewide median gross income;
- in a rural area;
- on an Indian reservation; or
- in an area of chronic economic distress.
Prohibits a buyer's income from exceeding 80 percent (70 percent for families of less than three) of the area gross median income and requires owner occupancy.
Source: Bill sponsored by 45 Senators 03-S875 on Apr 10, 2003
Increase the earned income tax credit.
Santorum co-sponsored increasing the earned income tax credit
Provisions Relating to Earned Income Credit: Amends the Internal Revenue Code to repeal the supplemental young child credit and revise and increase the earned income credit.
Source: Tax Simplification Act (H.R.13) 1993-H13 on Jan 5, 1993
Page last updated: Jun 14, 2011