William L. Clay: “Mr. Chairman, this amendment adds a much needed exemption to this bill. It provides that this act shall not apply to…”

“Mr. Chairman, this amendment adds a much needed exemption to this bill. It provides that this act shall not apply to Federal laws or regulations that protect the health and welfare of children, discouraged workers, and others, who, through no fault of their own, need welfare assistance. We as a nation have a duty to ensure that no one is left without the means to provide for the basic necessities of life. In a society as wealthy as ours, we have a moral responsibility to lend aid to the most vulnerable members of our society, including those who cannot find decent work for decent pay. Our Nation's unemployment rate is approximately 5 percent, and while that rate signifies better times for many, it still leaves almost 8 milion unemployed. Hidden from that number are half a million others who no longer are counted as unemployed because they have given up hope of finding gainful employment. They have become discouraged workers. There are tens of millions of others, including children, the aged, and the infirm, who cannot work. They don't have organized lobbyists pressing their case before Congress. They don't have the resources to contribute to political campaigns. And, too often, when they are not being ignored and forgotten, they are being blamed for circumstances which are as much of our making as their own.”