Minneapolis, MN – The Minnesota Welfare Rights Coalition has issued a call for all progressive organizations to sign a declaration against the five-year limit on welfare. It is reprinted below.

Minneapolis, MN – On August 22, low income families across Minnesota held protests to mark the fourth anniversary of the signing of the federal welfare “reform” law. Member groups of the Minnesota Welfare Rights Coalition protested in four cities around the state, to call for an end to the five-year limit on public assistance.

St. Paul, MN – “We are here at the state capitol demanding that this government stop attacking the poor! We are here to demand an end to the 5-year lifetime limit on welfare for families in poverty!” declared Deedee Francis, of the Minnesota Welfare Rights Coalition.

St. Paul, MN – In a nationally unprecedented move, a bill to repeal the time limit on welfare was introduced at the Minnesota State Capitol. Senator Hottinger of Mankato and Representative Neva Walker of Minneapolis are carrying the repeal bill in the Senate and House.

St. Paul, MN – The Welfare Rights Committee and community supporters went to Governor Ventura's office, Nov. 21, to picket and demand that the he stop the scheduled “Holiday Welfare Cut-offs.”

Minneapolis, MN – The Welfare Rights Committee has taken to the airwaves (and cable networks) to pound anti-poor politicians.

Saint Paul, MN – “Tell the monsters to come out. They want to tell those monsters how angry they are,” said Ya Vang, Hmong interpreter for the Welfare Rights Committee (WRC). “They won't come out, they're afraid of us. They know we're out here,” responded Birgid Maschenik of WRC. The “monsters” that the Welfare Rights Committee members were talking about were the Republican members of the MN House of Representatives.

St. Paul, MN – “We call it the 'Mother's Day Massacre,'” said Trishalla Bell, of the Welfare Rights Committee. “The politicians chose Sunday afternoon – Mother's Day – to vote to throw thousands of Minnesota kids into the streets,” she continued. Bell was talking about the May 12 vote of the Minnesota legislative budget bill conference committee against language for a moratorium on the welfare time limit.