Neal Dunn: “I simply want to wrap up, with the time we have left, to say that I think it is very important for us to remember what…”

“I simply want to wrap up, with the time we have left, to say that I think it is very important for us to remember what it is we are trying to do in this welfare legislation. In 1996, we talked to welfare moms and dads. We said, what can we do to help you bridge the gap between welfare and work? And they said give us the ability to know that our children are well taken care of. Let us put the full focus of our energy and our expertise into going into a job that is going to provide us greater self-respect, greater dignity, and provide for our children that one role model in their life that might have a job. We were successful there to the point that, as we moved money into TANF, we left, as of last September, $7.5 billion in TANF funds in States throughout the Nation that they could move to child care. Child care was the answer then and it continues to be the answer now. This is why we are advocating an additional $2 billion to the $4.8 billion we spend each year in dollars for child care. I think it is our responsibility, Mr. Speaker, to help people who want to hold jobs know their children are taken care of as they move into the workforce.”