Mike Levin: “we are supposed to be talking about the budget this morning. The Republicans are afraid to bring it up and talk about…”

“we are supposed to be talking about the budget this morning. The Republicans are afraid to bring it up and talk about it. They ran into a problem. They were taking $10 billion from Medicare. That was not working. They were afraid, so, instead, they decided to take it out of Function 600 and aim it at welfare reform. They were frantic. So they stabbed in the dark, grabbed for Function 600, but what they have done is to stab in the back welfare reform. The National Conference of State Legislatures says this: This budget, the Republican budget abrogates an agreement reached between State Legislators, governors, and Congress in 1996 regarding welfare reform. The National Governors Association, Governors Carper, Engler, Miller, Beasley, Chiles, Leavitt, O'Bannon, Romer, Ridge and Thompson say this about it: We urge you in the strongest terms possible to uphold the historic welfare agreement reached in 1996 and reject any cuts in TANF, Medicaid, or other welfare-related program as part of the budget resolution.”