Political Quotes

“there is perhaps no more urgent issue in America today than ending welfare dependency. In place of a welfare program built around welfare checks, we need a program built around helping people get paychecks. We need to move people toward work and independence. And we need to be tough on work and protective of children. When the work on welfare reform started last year, the Republican proposals were weak on work, tough on kids, and the President was right to veto them. Unfortunately, the bill before us today, while a significant improvement on the earlier versions, still falls short in both regards. On work, the bill is, in fact, too weak, for it underfunds employment assistance by $13 billion. According to the Congressional Budget Office, a $13 billion shortfall is a guarantee that no State can meet the employment requirements in this bill. So we have missed an opportunity to make these poor families self-supporting. On children, the bill is, in fact, too weak in its child care provisions; it is too harsh in the manner children are punished for the failures of their parents; and it is far too extreme in its potential to push an additional 1 million children into poverty.”