"I happen to think that a work requirement is essential as part of the welfare experience and I actually believe we should have increasing levels of work requirement as oppose to eliminating them as the President has taken by executive action." — Mitt Romney
FOX News
August 7, 2012
CARL CAMERON, FOX NEWS: "You're emphasizing the President's executive action that you say gutted welfare reform. What does this say about Barack Obama's personal politics and how he approaches welfare as a government service?"
MITT ROMNEY: "Well, I think his perspective is that more and more people ought to have the capacity to be part of the welfare system and they shouldn't have to have the work requirement that President Clinton and Republicans put in place some years ago. I happen to think that a work requirement is essential as part of the welfare experience and I actually believe we should have increasing levels of work requirement as opposed to eliminating them as the president has taken by executive action."
Mitt Romney, Romney Campaign Press Release - Mitt Romney: Work Is An Essential Part Of Welfare Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/302529