Rich Neal: “There are 12.8 million people in America who receive AFDC. Of that number, between 8 and 9 million of those recipients…”

“There are 12.8 million people in America who receive AFDC. Of that number, between 8 and 9 million of those recipients are children. That is the issue that we can never lose focus on. That is the issue that ought to motivate, and that is the issue that ought to drive these deliberations. And yet after 18 months there has only been one bipartisan initiative that deals with welfare. The authors having been the former Governor of Delaware, Mike Castle, and the Congressman from Tennessee, John Tanner. Only one bill had the support of Democrats and Republicans alike in this institution, and it was the piece of legislation that Bill Clinton said 'I will sign if you put that on my desk.' But the posturing that has taken place over this issue has delayed getting to a bill that withstands the scrutiny that we all know welfare reform deserves. Let me just read one sentence from a letter that was sent by the Speaker of the House to the members of the Republican Conference. He said, in suggesting they oppose the bipartisan bill, the following: 'It is critical that Republicans maintain the upper hand on this issue by rejecting the Gephardt substitute.'”