Frank Riggs: “I rise during special orders to point out that today the countdown is up. Today marks the day that President Clinton…”

“I rise during special orders to point out that today the countdown is up. Today marks the day that President Clinton should have signed the Wisconsin welfare reform waiver. Why is this important to me as a Californian? Because our Governor and State legislature have also requested from the Federal Government, specifically the Department of Health and Human Services, certain waivers to allow us in California to reform and streamline our welfare service to California residents. I think we can all remember that a month ago the President said publicly that he approved of the Wisconsin reform plan. He did not just mention his approval of the plan in passing. This is the plan that was originally known as putting families first, or now, as it is known simply in Wisconsin, W2. The President devoted an entire weekend radio address to this subject. Immediately after, though, he made those remarks his administration, encouraged by their liberal allies here in the Congress, Democratic allies, began to backtrack. Now it appears that the deadline today has come and gone with no waiver for the Wisconsin plan. I cannot really say that that surprises me too much, but I do not want to allow my cynicism to show too much. I actually had some hope that the President might at least in this one instance keep his word to the people of Wisconsin and the country.”