DENNIS A. CARDOZA: “it seems like our country, or at least the Republican leadership and the leadership in the Senate and the White House…”

“it seems like our country, or at least the Republican leadership and the leadership in the Senate and the White House, has totally turned what our priorities should be as a Nation on its ear. We are not balancing the budget. That is the first mistake. But the second mistake is we are cutting education. We are cutting those who are most vulnerable and who could build this country into something better. And it just seems to me that if we would just invest in education, invest in the future of America, try to make sure that these young kids who go into foster care do not go into gangs; it costs us over $40,000 a year to incarcerate someone who goes astray, and so many foster kids go astray when they are put into so many different homes. The average number of homes that most foster kids go to is 12. I have talked to kids who have been in 24 different homes. They are placed, placed, placed because we do not have money in the system and people drop out, and it is no way to live one's live. Twenty-four homes. One young lady was a valedictorian in her class. I do not know how she did it, but she managed to break out of that system. She was in 24 different foster homes over her period of time. We can do better, Mr. Speaker. And I know Mr. Ross is for that, and I thank him for highlighting that fact.”