Lynn C. Woolsey: “here we go again. As the only Member of this body to have actually been a single, working mother on welfare, I rise…”

“here we go again. As the only Member of this body to have actually been a single, working mother on welfare, I rise, once again, to make it clear that this budget is no kinder or gentler to children and families than the welfare reform plan peddled by Speaker Gingrich and the new majority last year. That should come as no surprise to anyone because this budget is just a rehash of the majority's same old cruel policies and skewed budget priorities that were rejected by the American people last year. They were rejected, my friends, because the American people want real welfare reform--reform that helps families get jobs and stay off welfare for good--reform that expands the earned income tax credit; boosts the minimum wage and invests in education; job training; health care; child care and child support. However, this budget, like all of the majority's welfare reform plans that came before it, tells children in this country: if you're poor, you had better not get sick, don't get hungry, and don't get cold, because the majority doesn't think you're important. It says to families: Republicans in Congress don't want to provide you with a guaranteed level of health care; food; and general assistance for your children. Just by ending the guarantee of Medicaid alone, almost 4.9 million children may lose their health coverage.”