Dave Camp

under our Constitution, it is our duty and solemn task to examine this matter in a way that will ultimately lead to the truth

I think today is a great day for our Nation's foster and adoptive children. Today is the day that Congress improves our foster care laws and eases the pathway for adoption. Since 1980, foster care children have entered a system that has…

I think this is critical. I am glad that we are acting, because the implementation date of September 30, 1998 could cause tremendous disruption in Michigan, not only to tourist traffic but to trade and to our economy. I think this new…

Our sugar policy was reformed in the 1996 farm bill, Mr. Chairman, which many speakers have mentioned. But I know our opponents also say that they rely on this discredited GAO report claiming that U.S. sugar is overpriced. They constantly…

the Treasury Department is not being straight with the American people. The Treasury Department is using misleading, bogus information about the bipartisan tax relief package. For example, they use something called family economic income…

as chairman of the Corrections Advisory Group, I am pleased to again appear before the House under the Corrections Calendar to correct an unintended consequence of current law. Passage of this bill will once again place the scissors of…

I do not oppose the amendment but there are some additional considerations that should be taken into account. The committee has been very concerned about kinship care for several years. In many cases kinship care is an excellent response…

States already, in the first year, would be able to exempt 75 percent of their case load from the work requirement and would be able to make the decision as to which individuals, if it is grandparents or elderly caregivers, would be able…

Mr. Chairman, I wanted to comment on this amendment and the fact that it is critical that foster homes be safe for children. States already have the discretion to conduct background checks and licensing of foster parents, and many States…

Today the Congress has an historic opportunity to improve our child welfare system with respect to adoption. Under the fine leadership of the gentleman from Texas and the gentleman from Florida, past Congresses have already made two…

I rise in support of this protaxpayer bill. For years the American people have told us that our Tax Code needs reform. Seventy-five percent of Americans believe we need a fundamental overhaul of our tax law. Incidents like those reported…

I know there has been some issue raised regarding the waivers for the work requirement. The waivers are all drawn more strictly than current law. I think that is an important point to make. The waivers that have been given by the…

When we look at the costs, I know it mentions the costs that have been put on State and local governments, that they are concerned that costs will be shifted there. What our bill tries to do is give States more flexibility to design and…

Today Congress is again attempting to end welfare as we know it. Over the last 19 months, my colleagues and I have twice written, debated, and adopted welfare reform legislation only to have our efforts vetoed by the President. How many…

I think this is a positive amendment and I would urge my colleagues to vote for it. This would allow Members to return unspent office funds to the Treasury. It would allow them to use those funds returned for specifically deficit reduction…

I strongly support H.R. 3604, the Safe Drinking Water Act amendments, and will vote for passage of the bill. Under our current Safe Drinking Water Act, communities do not have adequate resources, both financial and technical, to comply…

Mr. Speaker, a cornerstone of our Nation is education. A small investment in education can reap tremendous rewards. The United States is the world's greatest Nation, and we owe this success in large part to the commitment we have made to…

I rise in support of the Young amendment to strike title III. Congress, in a long line of case law, provides Native American tribes with sovereign control of their affairs, and that includes the care and protection of their children. It is…

I stand here disgusted. Since being elected to Congress I have supported term limits. When this body votes on term limit legislation in the weeks ahead, I will be a vocal proponent of any legislation that limits terms. My record is clear…

I rise to discuss how unfunded mandates are particularly devastating to rural communities throughout the country. In Michigan, for example, the estimated costs for fiscal year 1994 as a result of 12 major unfunded mandates was nearly $400…

Mr. Speaker, as we begin work today, we have a clear understanding of our purpose for the next 100 days. We have the unique opportunity in this body to set partisan politics aside. The people have told us they want things done differently…

I applaud the efforts offered today and believe this audit will go a long way to cut waste and save taxpayer money, streamline the process. But let us go a step further. Let us require the audit to include unused office allowance funds. I…

I rise in support of the Stenholm amendment. Mr. Chairman, about 200 years ago, Thomas Jefferson said if there was just one change he could make in America's brand new Constitution--it would be to include a provision to prevent any future…

there is widespread agreement that we need reform in child support enforcement. Right now $46 billion in back child support is owed to mothers and children. It is time to ratchet up the pressure. Let us send a message to these parents that…

in the aftermath of the House Bank and Post Office scandals in 1992, the House and our colleagues in the other body established a Joint Committee on the Organization of Congress. Last year, this bipartisan reform panel met for many weeks…