Mike Levin: “the Republican leadership is turning what should be a people's House into a one-party House, into a one-party House. I…”

“the Republican leadership is turning what should be a people's House into a one-party House, into a one-party House. I am afraid they do not want a bipartisan bill, they want a partisan issue. In 1995, there were 13 hours and 20 minutes of debate on welfare reform, but here we have just a pittance. My Republican colleagues dwell on their version of the past instead of building for the future. They speak from a program. They malign President Clinton's efforts. There were two vetoes. Why? Over day care and health care. He had promised in 1992 to reform welfare. The bills that came out of here did not have adequate day care or health care, so he vetoed them. There was adequate day care and health care at that time put into the bills, and then it passed on a bipartisan basis. Look, my colleagues say their bill just fine-tunes, but of the survey answers, 41 of 47 States said the Republican bill would require 'fundamental change.' This is about where welfare goes from here. The Republican bill wants people to work while they are on welfare; our bill says what the States want. We want people off of welfare into long-term, productive work and true independence. This is a sad day. Debating a major issue in the wee hours, in the wee hours. Why do it? I repeat: my Republican colleagues want a partisan issue instead of a bipartisan product. My Republican colleagues are turning this proud people's House into a one-party institution. In the end, they will fail.”