On the recordFebruary 1, 2012
And so when you include liquor stores, all you're doing is attacking some small businesses who are providing foodstuffs--not just liquor, but foodstuffs; not only in inner cities, but in rural communities--that families need. So this is punishment, this is being very harsh on the most vulnerable people in our society to include liquor stores in this group of stores that you would not like to have the welfare recipients use. Again, I could go along with strip joints; I could go along with casinos. But as I travel across the country, I cannot go along with excluding liquor stores from being able to provide food that's needed to these poor families that live in these food deserts where there are no grocery stores, no chains, no other place for them. And when they have transportation problems, it really does wreak havoc on them trying to get even to a place where they could buy food. So if you would understand that and work to try to make sure that this doesn't stay in here, I would appreciate it. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentlewoman has again expired.
