Dianne Feinstein: “What this amendment does is essentially assures that, in those large counties or groups of counties with a population…”

“What this amendment does is essentially assures that, in those large counties or groups of counties with a population greater than 500,000, that there be provision, with permission of the State--this is the modification in the amendment-- that the money, the block grant, go directly to the county. So we have modified the amendment from its original presentation. My understanding is that it is agreeable to both sides. The purpose of the amendment is, really, so many of the innovative demonstration projects that are initiated by counties, which I pointed out in my opening remarks on this amendment, can go ahead without an additional element of bureaucracy. Again, the State would have to approve this, but for those counties that do their own administration, this would continue to be the case.”