Dianne Feinstein: “we begin the 105th Congress with a sober recognition of the fact that the Federal Government cannot solve all problems.…”

“we begin the 105th Congress with a sober recognition of the fact that the Federal Government cannot solve all problems. Anyone who questions this premise need only look at painful choices that must be made in order to balance the Federal budget, our first and most difficult task this session. Having said that, the clearest message, I think, sent to us this past November was that the people of America want Republicans and Democrats to work together to solve real problems. I have been very concerned and I might even say dismayed by statements made by Members of this body and the House, that under no circumstances will there be any changes, no matter how meritorious, no matter how necessary, to the welfare bill which passed last year. Mr. President, when this body debated and approved the historic welfare reform bill last year, I outlined to my colleagues what I saw as some of the major flaws in the drafting of that bill, and as a result, the impact that this legislation will have on the largest State in the Union--California. I want to take an opportunity this afternoon to update those comments. The impact of this bill on California is huge. At this stage, it really is not fully known or even understood. Some estimate that California will absorb about $17 billion of the $55 billion saved by this bill. That is a body blow to our safety net. It could have a catastrophic impact both financially and in terms of human lives.”