Greetings to all staff

Greetings from the Director's office in Juneau.
I am honored by my recent appointment and look forward to the challenges that lie ahead. I am deeply impressed by the competence and expertise I have already encountered among the staff. I hope the talents that I bring to your executive management team will add and enhance that competence. I will work diligently to create the best administrative team, increase teamwork, build on past successes and surmount regional and systemic challenges.

U.S. House Approves Stricter Welfare Rules

Nearly identical to a plan put forth by President Bush, the GOP legislation passed by a 230-192 vote, largely along party lines. It would renew a 1996 welfare overhaul that allowed states to impose tough new rules and helped spark a massive reduction in welfare rolls.

Editor's Note: The Senate must still pass a similar bill for these rules to become law, and the President must sign it. View the full story by clicking here.