On the recordJanuary 26, 1994
Although part of the speech of the President was delegated to welfare reform, there are certain measures that we can take now without waiting for the great debate of 1994 on welfare reform. For instance, Mr. Speaker, do Members know that we, as taxpayers, are subsidizing drug addiction and drug addicts when they qualify for SSI payments and benefits. Because of the disability caused by drug addiction, many times they continue to draw their benefits, SSI, even though a condition was placed on them to receive drug treatment. But because of abuses of the system, they can go without that drug treatment, avoid it altogether and continue to receive benefits, welfare, SSI benefits from us, the taxpayers. We are subsidizing their addiction. On the other hand, there are some where the condition is not even placed on them and because of the disability based on drug addiction, which we could possibly cure with a program of treatment, the wording of the statute is such and the practices of this administration are such that they can go for a lifetime, the rest of their lives being subsidized by us, the taxpayers, on welfare, SSI without ever having to undergo drug treatment. We can move next week, not wait for the great debate of 1994, to cure this flaw in our SSI system.
