Resources for Independence, Stability, and Employment by Paul Ryan and Les Ford
Our safety net is broken. Even with dozens of means-tested welfare programs and federal expenditures
well over $1.6 trillion, the safety net traps low-income Americans in poverty and dependency instead of
helping them achieve independence. We must redesign the safety net so that it temporarily supports low
income families encountering hardship while empowering them to find long-term opportunity and truly
thrive.