Lynn C. Woolsey: “we all agree that welfare does not work, the welfare system does not work for the taxpayers, and it does not work for…”

“we all agree that welfare does not work, the welfare system does not work for the taxpayers, and it does not work for the families who are on welfare, and we all agree that the welfare system must be overhauled. It must be overhauled so that it helps recipients get jobs and stay off welfare permanently. But that is the easy part. The challenge and responsibility we face as legislators, however, is finding the answers to, what if's. What if a mother on welfare cannot find a job? What if she is not earning enough to take care of her family? What if her benefits are cut off and she is unable to provide her children with food, with clothes, and with health care? Madam Chairman, this bill does not even attempt to answer these, what if's. In fact, the majority has gone out of its way to prevent States from meeting the basic needs of children, children whose parents are unable to get a job. This bill says to poor children, do not get hungry, do not get sick, and, for Pete's sake, do not get cold, because your time is up, and we do not think you are important enough to provide you with the basics that you need to survive. Madam Chairman, no other Member of this body knows better than I do that this is the wrong way to fix welfare. As a single mother with three small children, working, many years ago, I could not have stayed in the work force if I did not have the safety net of health care, child care, and food that the welfare system provided for my family.”