John Doolittle: “Mr. Chairman, I submit what is ridiculous is that this Congress would continue to fund such as a disastrous program as…”

“Mr. Chairman, I submit what is ridiculous is that this Congress would continue to fund such as a disastrous program as Legal Services at all, let alone pass this amendment. Mr. Chairman, what is ridiculous is that we continue to fund a program that is so irresponsible that the Congress would actually have to take the kind of action we took in fiscal year 1996 and spell out what ought to be clear ahead of time for responsible people in an organization funded with Federal funds, and actually make explicit that they may not get involved in redistricting, they may not get involved in abortion litigation, or prison litigation, or welfare litigation, or pro-union advocacy, for heaven's sake, and union organizing, or fee-generating cases, or representation of public housing tenants charged with possession of illegal drugs or against whom eviction proceedings have begun as a result of illegal drug activity, and a prohibition on representing illegal aliens. Mr. Chairman, that is an indictment right there on the inclinations of the individuals in this irresponsible agency. Mr. Chairman, I believe as much as anyone in protecting the rights of poor people, but unlike my colleagues on the other side of the aisle, and apparently some of my Republican colleagues, I do not believe we have to build a bigger and bigger welfare state, of which this is a part, in order to accomplish those objectives.”