Sanford Bishop: “I have extremely strong opposition to this amendment. If there are not sufficient jobs for people in the State, who are…”

“I have extremely strong opposition to this amendment. If there are not sufficient jobs for people in the State, who are we to take that State's judgment away? The other side is always talking about States' rights. Well, these are not people that are living high on the hog. They are not people that have excess money. I cannot and I will not support this amendment, nor will any of my Democratic colleagues. It is mean and it is cruel to ask people to do something that is not possible. If there aren't jobs, they can't be employed and they can't comply with this. The States should know better than we in Washington. If the State requests a waiver, which is a request, it is not a mandate, certainly the Department can examine it and determine whether or not there is sufficient cause to justify the waiver. We shouldn't just sua sponte on our own decide that a State doesn't have sense enough to know what is going on within its borders. We should not support this, and if it is included in the final conference agreement, I doubt my Democratic colleagues would provide the necessary votes for final passage, nor that the President would sign the bill. I urge us to defeat this amendment. It really makes no sense, and it is mean, and it is cruel. Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.”