Barbara Kennelly: “we all can be proud of the record that many of us have in working on this bill to protect children. Eight months ago we…”

“we all can be proud of the record that many of us have in working on this bill to protect children. Eight months ago we had a welfare conference report on the floor that would have blocked foster care or would have made foster care a block grant, and also food stamps. Today's legislation retains the Federal guarantee for these services. Eight months ago we had Federal welfare legislation on this floor that would have cut severely disabled children by 25 percent. Today we do not have that flawed two-tiered system. Eight months ago we considered legislation that would have denied millions of Americans Medicaid because they lost welfare eligibility. Today's legislation, the legislation before us, guarantees continual health coverage for those who are currently entitled to these services. Eight months ago we voted on legislation that would have underfunded child care. This bill has $4.5 billion in it for child care. I am not suggesting the legislation is perfect. Most legislation is not perfect. But I predict we will be back on this very floor finding more answers and better answers than we have today. If that is there, I will be involved in these changes. But today we have to decide if this legislation as a whole represents an improvement over the status quo. My answer is: Yes, it does. While some of the changes here being suggested pose risks, so does the current system. Welfare is clearly broken, offering more dependence than opportunity.”