Major Owens: “It is very interesting to note that it appears that welfare would be one of the more efficient Federal programs, in that…”

“It is very interesting to note that it appears that welfare would be one of the more efficient Federal programs, in that people who receive assistance, large numbers, do get off and make the attempt after 2 years. Not so with the farm subsidy program. Not so with the cattle ranchers who are using public lands for grazing. Huge numbers of people who gain assistance, who seem to think that the Government owes them a living on and on, forever, and they are in the middle class and making lots of money. And most Americans citizens, most of the taxpayers out there, are not aware. I just want to take a moment, if you do not mind, to get back to the theme of welfare reform. It should be a time when we look at the larger picture, the larger situation with respect to Federal subsidies. It ought to be subsidy reform, because a lot of the funds we need to deal with people who are on welfare, in terms of being able to supply them with child care and supply them with decent job training, why can the Government not provide 2 years worth of training for everybody? When we have Pell grants and student loans, so people can go to college, they get a certain kind of assistance from the Government that other people do not get. We ought to guarantee everybody 2 years of educational assistance.”