Chuck Grassley: “The Conrad amendment costs money. He says it saves $63 billion. There is nothing in this amendment that he has before us…”

“The Conrad amendment costs money. He says it saves $63 billion. There is nothing in this amendment that he has before us that saves $63 billion. In fact, what he basically has done is add provisions to the Dole bill that cost $7 billion. I have the CBO estimate in my hand, and it says right here, $6.992 billion is the cost over a 7-year period of time. So I hope that will put that to rest now as to the aspects of that amendment. In regard to the amendment that is before us, the Dodd amendment, I wish to remind my colleagues that the Dole modification to the original bill S. 1120 regarding child care--offered on September 8, last week--prohibits States from sanctioning a single custodial parent if appropriate child care for a child age 5 and under is not available within a reasonable distance of the home or work site, or informal child care by a relative is unavailable or unsuitable, or appropriate and affordable formal child care arrangements are not available.”