Political Quotes

“As cochair of the freshman class welfare reform task force, I would like to thank the gentlelady from North Carolina, my cochair, for her hard work and her leadership on this and so many other issues. President Clinton has promised to end welfare as we know it. As this debate has developed, over the last few months, this has proven to be an extremely complicated commitment to fulfill. As a Member of Congress who has more than 18,000 constituent families who receive welfare, and as someone who has lived in public housing, I can say that I know and understand the welfare system. I know it as a broken system that desperately needs a nearly complete overhaul. I can also say I agree with the President that we must change the fundamental principles behind the welfare system. In my direct, I have heard from people who say there is no way they can support their children on $367 a month plus food stamps. I have heard from people on welfare who felt there was a strong disincentive for them to work.”