Political Quotes

“The Congress finds that additional funding for child care is necessary given the additional financial burdens on the States resulting from the implementation of this Act, due to the worsening of economic conditions since the last consideration of welfare reform legislation by the House of Representatives, including-- (1) the severe deficits of more than $80,000,000,000 affecting the States, the largest budget gaps in half a century, that will necessitate reductions in vital services, including the loss of Medicaid for nearly 1,000,000 Americans; (2) the loss of 2,300,000 jobs since March 2001, including 42 percent more job cuts in January 2003 than in December, and an unemployment rate of nearly 6 percent representing 9,000,000 Americans; (3) the loss of unemployment benefits by 1,000,000 men and women whose benefits have expired and whom Congress has failed to assist; (4) an increase in child poverty in 2001 for the first time in 8 years; (5) the increase of homelessness by nearly 20 percent in the last year; and (6) substantial waiting lists for child care in at least 18 States, many in the tens of thousands.”