James M. Talent: “I appreciate very much the tone of the debate to this point, but I think the reason we ought to oppose the Democratic…”

“I appreciate very much the tone of the debate to this point, but I think the reason we ought to oppose the Democratic substitute is that it is much weaker on work than the underlying bill. It is better than the ones they have offered in the past, but it is much weaker on work. In fact, that is one of the things trumpeted as a virtue of it. We have heard that the Governors like that bill. Of course, they like that bill. They do not have to do very much under that bill, particularly in the earlier years. That is what they want, freedom and more money and not to have to do very much, particularly with regard to work requirements, and that is what the Democratic substitute does. First, on face value, in terms of the face work participation requirements, the main bill is stronger than the substitute. But we have to look beyond face value when we look at work requirements.”