Bob Dole: “let me speak to my colleagues on both sides of the aisle. I think there is a tendency for amendments offered by…”

“let me speak to my colleagues on both sides of the aisle. I think there is a tendency for amendments offered by Democrats being voted for by Democrats, and maybe the other way, too. This amendment makes a great deal of sense, not the amendment of the Senator from Vermont but the amendment in the bill. It was worked out very carefully after a lot of consultation by a lot of people to make certain that we were not doing some of the things that have been stated here. It is up to the States; it is up to the Governors. We have talked about returning power to the Governors, power to the States. Democrat or Republican Governors--we have not made any distinction. Everybody has railed about illegitimacy. Mr. President, one out of three births is out of wedlock. This is a very important amendment. It is in the House bill. We do not see any reason it should not be in this bill. That is why we put it in the Dole amendment to start with. I would hope my colleagues on both sides of the aisle would take a look at what we are trying to do. Why not reward a State? Why not reward a Governor, Governor Edgar from Illinois or Governor Thompson or Governor Romer, whoever it may be, if they can devise a plan to reduce the illegitimacy rate? That is what this amendment is all about. It is straightforward. I do not see any pitfalls described by the Senator from Wyoming or the Senator from Vermont.”