On the recordSeptember 20, 2012
I thank my friend for yielding. Ladies and gentlemen of the House, this resolution repeals a rule that doesn't exist and ignores some problems that really do exist. The policy from the Department of Health and Human Services says this: if a Governor thinks he or she has a better way to move people from welfare to work as two Republican Governors have asked for since that time, they can get a waiver from some of the rules in the welfare law if, and only if, they move more people from welfare to work than they otherwise would have done. The bill that the majority did report out of committee abolishes the work requirement. In fact, the only way to save the work requirement is to let this rule go into effect. That's the illusionary rule they are trying to repeal for the real problems that concern us, though. If you're a small business person that would like to have a tax cut when you create jobs, the House is ignoring that problem because we're not voting on that bill today. If you're a teacher or a police officer who's been laid off in the last 2 years, the House is ignoring your problem because we're not voting on that bill today. If you're an engineer or construction worker who would like to go to work building roads or bridges or trains, the House is ignoring your problem because we're not voting on that bill today. This resolution repeals an imaginary rule at a time of real, acute, and serious problems for the American people.…
