Dianne Feinstein: “I say, and I think I speak on behalf of my colleague, Senator Boxer, as well, we are not disputing that the time has…”

“I say, and I think I speak on behalf of my colleague, Senator Boxer, as well, we are not disputing that the time has come to make some changes. We are not even disputing that perhaps there are some who are on SSI or AFDC that can find other ways of support. What we are disputing is that this language is so ironclad that it throws the baby out with the bath water. I was mayor of San Francisco for 9 years, a member of the board of supervisors for 9, for a total of 18 years. I know these communities. I can tell you that there are several hundred thousand people who do not have another source of support. In Los Angeles, I know, I have seen it with my own eyes. This bill does not allow for any fine tuning. I think both Senator Boxer and I would be happy to sit down with the other side and try to work out a process of evaluation whereby you could fine tune this bill so people who truly are blind, who truly can barely walk down a street, who truly have no access to three meals a day can have a source of subsistence in this country.”