Glenn English: “while I congratulate the other side on their valiant, but unsuccessful, partisan attempt to change the subject, I rise…”

“while I congratulate the other side on their valiant, but unsuccessful, partisan attempt to change the subject, I rise on behalf of this rule as an opportunity to put the House on notice and put the House on record that we need to move right now on welfare reform. This reform is the most important social reform that Congress has achieved since I came here in 1994, and right now it is at risk. Welfare caseloads under our initiative have fallen by 60 percent to their lowest levels since 1965. Nine million recipients have gone from welfare to work, from dependency to independence. We have learned from this success that we can help people bootstrap themselves and become self-reliant and proud. We have reaffirmed that the welfare system is supposed to provide a safety net, not a hammock. Mr. Speaker, it has been 4 months since the House passed the Personal Responsibility, Work, and Family Protection Act reauthorizing these reforms. We passed this bipartisan bill which would build upon the success of the past 6 years by improving day care and increasing opportunity. We strengthened the welfare system by making it less permissive, but at the same time providing real incentives to work. Sadly, some on the left would rather go back to the days of welfare dependency, limited opportunity, and stunted hope for some of our most underprivileged Americans.”