Patsy T. Mink: “We all want to benefit working families. It was never the intention to make a distinction about a childless family. The…”

“We all want to benefit working families. It was never the intention to make a distinction about a childless family. The formula currently includes benefits for childless workers because clearly there are circumstances where there are two individuals in a family, one perhaps disabled and unable to work, suffering some kind of disability where only one sole individual in that family can go out and work, and that family is as entitled to this benefit as any other family, and I do not believe the law ought to be changed. And the $20 billion that our colleagues are taking out of the program is to hurt that family. It is a tax increase. Mr. Chairman, I rise today to ask my colleagues to take notice of a small, but important provision in this budget resolution. It expresses the sense of Congress that we should not enact or adopt any legislation that will increase the number of children who are hungry, homeless, poor, or medically uninsured, and further stipulates that Congress must revisit any legislation enacted to comply with this budget resolution which does cause an increase in the number of children who are hungry, homeless, poor, or medically uninsured. I authored this amendment which was accepted by the Budget Committee on a voice vote.”