On the recordJuly 23, 1996
I believe history will praise this day, because I believe a system that has failed in every single aspect will now be thrown away, and we will start over with a new system that has a chance of giving people an opportunity instead of a handout. They will have a chance to get trained and educated, go to work and feel responsible, instead of this law on the books for decades that is out of tune with our times, which makes people feel dependent, makes people feel neglected. It is time that it be changed. Now, frankly, kids are us, and this bill is about our kids, because if anybody thinks the children that are under this welfare system are getting a good deal today, then, frankly, I do not know what could be a rotten deal, because they are getting the worst of America. We are perpetuating among their adult relatives and parents a system of dependency, a system that lets them think less of their children because they think less of themselves.
Said by
Pete Domenici
Source
govinfo.gov