David Thomas: “certainly we are dealing with an issue and a proposal where there are huge differences. And there have been huge…”

“certainly we are dealing with an issue and a proposal where there are huge differences. And there have been huge differences for some time. The Senator from New York represents quite a different point of view from several years past. What we are trying to do is to provide better service, provide some options, provide some modernization of a program that is 40 years old, that has never been changed. So the question really is, How do we best serve all of the people who are in need of service? The question is not, How do we maintain and grow a Federal program, and keep it all Federal? That is not really what most of us have in mind. We want to look at some alternatives. We want to look for choice, where people who wish to stay in the program as it now exists may do that. And that is what this bill provides. But it also provides an opportunity to move to something that could be different, have some choices, could even in fact be more efficient, more effective. I am afraid it is hard for me to accept the idea that Government programs are more efficient than the private sector. I don't think there is much evidence of that. Certainly what we are talking about here is having some opportunities for a change, some opportunities for some alternatives. I understand there will be those who will be resisting those changes, but nevertheless we do have a bipartisan bill before us that incorporates that opportunity. We want to do it.”