Karen Thurman: “I, too, am an original cosponsor of the Castle-Tanner because I think it does give us real reform and real…”

“I, too, am an original cosponsor of the Castle-Tanner because I think it does give us real reform and real responsibility. We demand responsibility not only from welfare recipients, but from the Federal Government and the States who are our partners in this system. We require work and hold beneficiaries responsible for their actions, but we do not make these demands and then not live up to our end of the bargain. Our commitment requires adequate funding levels for the work requirements in the bill. Castle-Tanner meets this need. The majority bill does not. Our commitment requires that we have a plan in the event of a national or regional rescission. We have seen that in this country. Castle-Tanner has a real contingency fund to meet this need. The majority bill has an underfunded contingency fund with unrealistic limits on a State's access to the fund. In the Castle-Tanner we are more realistic. If there is no job, one cannot lose something as basic as food stamps. We also provide better protections for children. Children must not be made to suffer for their parents' action.”