Robert Rector
Encyclopedia
Robert Rector is a senior research fellow at The Heritage Foundation
and a nationally recognized expert on poverty issues. He is considered one of the architects of the 1996 federal welfare reform act
, and has also influenced immigration reform and abstinence education policy. Rector has written over 100 articles and research papers, and his writings include the book America's Failed $5.4 Trillion War on Poverty.
.
Rector has worked for The Heritage Foundation
since 1984. He is the editor of the 1987 book, Steering the Elephant: How Washington Works, and the co-author of the 1995 book, America's Failed $5.4 Trillion War on Poverty.
Rector has been a management analyst for the United States Office of Personnel Management and a legislative assistant in the Virginia House of Delegates
. From 2001 to 2002, he served as a commissioner of the Millennial Housing Commission.
issues who has influenced policy, testified before Congress, and written extensively on the subject.
Rector is considered one of the key architects of the 1996 federal welfare reform act
, which marked a significant shift in American welfare policy. The bill attempted to emphasize using government assistance temporarily to recover economic independence, rather than depending on assistance indefinitely.
Rector has written frequently on the subjects of welfare and poverty, including the 1992 The Wall Street Journal
article “America's Poverty Myth”, which asserted that the U.S. Census
inaccurately measures poverty, and his 1995 book with William Lauber, America's Failed $5.4 Trillion War on Poverty, which criticized welfare laws in the U.S. for allegedly rewarding breakdowns in family values.
In 1995, The Wall Street Journal
called Rector the "leading guru" behind the Republicans' position on welfare. In 2006, National Review
editor Rich Lowry
called Rector "the intellectual godfather" of welfare reform.
, and has testified before Congress on the subject. In 2006, Rector published a report on the proposed Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act for The Heritage Foundation
, stating that passage of the bill would lead to more than 100 million new legal immigrants within 20 years. Based on the report's findings, the Senate amended the bill to include restrictions on the guest worker program
and visa caps. Rector has been featured in numerous media outlets as a conservative expert on immigration.
. Rector has published research papers on this subject for The Heritage Foundation
, and he has quoted as an expert on abstinence education by numerous media outlets, including The New York Times
. In 1999, the Los Angeles Times
called Rector the “architect of the abstinence-only movement.”
The Heritage Foundation
The Heritage Foundation is a conservative American think tank based in Washington, D.C. Heritage's stated mission is to "formulate and promote conservative public policies based on the principles of free enterprise, limited government, individual freedom, traditional American values, and a strong...
and a nationally recognized expert on poverty issues. He is considered one of the architects of the 1996 federal welfare reform act
Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act
The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 is a United States federal law considered to be a fundamental shift in both the method and goal of federal cash assistance to the poor. The bill added a workforce development component to welfare legislation, encouraging...
, and has also influenced immigration reform and abstinence education policy. Rector has written over 100 articles and research papers, and his writings include the book America's Failed $5.4 Trillion War on Poverty.
Background
Rector received his undergraduate degree from The College of William & Mary and his masters in political science from Johns Hopkins UniversityJohns Hopkins University
The Johns Hopkins University, commonly referred to as Johns Hopkins, JHU, or simply Hopkins, is a private research university based in Baltimore, Maryland, United States...
.
Rector has worked for The Heritage Foundation
The Heritage Foundation
The Heritage Foundation is a conservative American think tank based in Washington, D.C. Heritage's stated mission is to "formulate and promote conservative public policies based on the principles of free enterprise, limited government, individual freedom, traditional American values, and a strong...
since 1984. He is the editor of the 1987 book, Steering the Elephant: How Washington Works, and the co-author of the 1995 book, America's Failed $5.4 Trillion War on Poverty.
Rector has been a management analyst for the United States Office of Personnel Management and a legislative assistant in the Virginia House of Delegates
Virginia House of Delegates
The Virginia House of Delegates is the lower house of the Virginia General Assembly. It has 100 members elected for terms of two years; unlike most states, these elections take place during odd-numbered years. The House is presided over by the Speaker of the House, who is elected from among the...
. From 2001 to 2002, he served as a commissioner of the Millennial Housing Commission.
Welfare reform
Rector is a nationally recognized expert on povertyPoverty
Poverty is the lack of a certain amount of material possessions or money. Absolute poverty or destitution is inability to afford basic human needs, which commonly includes clean and fresh water, nutrition, health care, education, clothing and shelter. About 1.7 billion people are estimated to live...
issues who has influenced policy, testified before Congress, and written extensively on the subject.
Rector is considered one of the key architects of the 1996 federal welfare reform act
Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act
The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 is a United States federal law considered to be a fundamental shift in both the method and goal of federal cash assistance to the poor. The bill added a workforce development component to welfare legislation, encouraging...
, which marked a significant shift in American welfare policy. The bill attempted to emphasize using government assistance temporarily to recover economic independence, rather than depending on assistance indefinitely.
Rector has written frequently on the subjects of welfare and poverty, including the 1992 The Wall Street Journal
The Wall Street Journal
The Wall Street Journal is an American English-language international daily newspaper. It is published in New York City by Dow Jones & Company, a division of News Corporation, along with the Asian and European editions of the Journal....
article “America's Poverty Myth”, which asserted that the U.S. Census
United States Census
The United States Census is a decennial census mandated by the United States Constitution. The population is enumerated every 10 years and the results are used to allocate Congressional seats , electoral votes, and government program funding. The United States Census Bureau The United States Census...
inaccurately measures poverty, and his 1995 book with William Lauber, America's Failed $5.4 Trillion War on Poverty, which criticized welfare laws in the U.S. for allegedly rewarding breakdowns in family values.
In 1995, The Wall Street Journal
The Wall Street Journal
The Wall Street Journal is an American English-language international daily newspaper. It is published in New York City by Dow Jones & Company, a division of News Corporation, along with the Asian and European editions of the Journal....
called Rector the "leading guru" behind the Republicans' position on welfare. In 2006, National Review
National Review
National Review is a biweekly magazine founded by the late author William F. Buckley, Jr., in 1955 and based in New York City. It describes itself as "America's most widely read and influential magazine and web site for conservative news, commentary, and opinion."Although the print version of the...
editor Rich Lowry
Rich Lowry
Richard A. Lowry is the editor of National Review, a conservative American news magazine, and a syndicated columnist.-Career:...
called Rector "the intellectual godfather" of welfare reform.
Immigration reform
Rector has been an influential researcher on immigration policyImmigration to the United States
Immigration to the United States has been a major source of population growth and cultural change throughout much of the history of the United States. The economic, social, and political aspects of immigration have caused controversy regarding ethnicity, economic benefits, jobs for non-immigrants,...
, and has testified before Congress on the subject. In 2006, Rector published a report on the proposed Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act for The Heritage Foundation
The Heritage Foundation
The Heritage Foundation is a conservative American think tank based in Washington, D.C. Heritage's stated mission is to "formulate and promote conservative public policies based on the principles of free enterprise, limited government, individual freedom, traditional American values, and a strong...
, stating that passage of the bill would lead to more than 100 million new legal immigrants within 20 years. Based on the report's findings, the Senate amended the bill to include restrictions on the guest worker program
Guest worker program
The Guest Worker Program is a program that has been proposed many times, including by U.S. President George W. Bush's administration as a way to permit U.S. employers to sponsor non-U.S. citizens as laborers for approximately three years, to be deported afterwards if they have not yet obtained a...
and visa caps. Rector has been featured in numerous media outlets as a conservative expert on immigration.
Abstinence education
Rector is a nationally recognized proponent of abstinence education. His advocacy prompted the inclusion of school-program funding for the teaching of abstinence in the 1996 federal welfare reform lawPersonal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act
The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 is a United States federal law considered to be a fundamental shift in both the method and goal of federal cash assistance to the poor. The bill added a workforce development component to welfare legislation, encouraging...
. Rector has published research papers on this subject for The Heritage Foundation
The Heritage Foundation
The Heritage Foundation is a conservative American think tank based in Washington, D.C. Heritage's stated mission is to "formulate and promote conservative public policies based on the principles of free enterprise, limited government, individual freedom, traditional American values, and a strong...
, and he has quoted as an expert on abstinence education by numerous media outlets, including The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
. In 1999, the Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
called Rector the “architect of the abstinence-only movement.”