Lynn C. Woolsey: “I am pleased to join my freshman class colleagues here today, and I compliment the gentleman from South Carolina [Mr.…”

“I am pleased to join my freshman class colleagues here today, and I compliment the gentleman from South Carolina [Mr. Clyburn] and the gentleman from Illinois [Mr. Rush] for their work on welfare reform. We were elected because this Nation demanded change. And, with the principles established by the freshman Democrats, we have made a bold commitment to fundamentally change the welfare system as we know it. Tonight, I want to focus on a broad principle that has already been introduced as legislation: A complete overhaul of our Nation's child support system. I recently introduced comprehensive and revolutionary child support reform legislation called the Secure Assurance for Families Everywhere Act, or SAFE. SAFE has been included in the freshman Democrats' welfare principles and has the endorsement of many freshman class Members. SAFE serves as the first step of the welfare reform plan that I will introduce next week. Reform that incorporates the principles of the freshman class task force. Mr. Speaker, child support reform should be the first step in any welfare reform proposal considered by Congress. Each year in America, of the $47 billion owed in court-ordered child support, only $13 billion is collected, leaving a $34 billion gap between what is owed and what is paid to support our children Mr. Speaker, that $34 billion gap is a national disgrace which is punishing our children and bankrupting our welfare system.”