From what I have seen here this morning, the Up Front Job Placement Program stands as an example for all Pennsylvanians that the best kind of welfare reform is a job. I also wan to thank Valerie, Nancy, Joanna and Goldie for sharing your experiences with us today. I know that's a tough thing to do.
People tell the real story.
And today, you have helped Pennsylvania better understand that there are people on welfare who are willing to work their way to independence. For years, state government has spent billions to eradicate poverty. But instead, today a fourth generation of Pennsylvanians are growing up on welfare. That's what my reform seeks to change. I think I am the only governor in Pennsylvania history who knows what it's like firsthand to live in publicly supported housing.