Political Quotes

“I think there is a mischaracterization. Maybe it is not a mischaracterization. I know the amendment has not been presented. You received a summary. But what the Snowe amendment does is say that the parents with children under 5 who can demonstrate to the State--the States will determine what the demonstration requirements would be--that their child care is either unaffordable to them or unavailable to them, whatever, would not be sanctioned for not working. That does not mean that anyone who has a child under 5 would be exempt from the work requirement. That is not the case. In fact, they would be required to work unless they can prove that there is no child care available. So what happens, since the Snowe amendment does not change the participation standard, which is that 50 percent have to be in the work program, what the Snowe amendment really attempts to do by keeping the denominator the same is to encourage States to provide more child care so they can increase work participation by families with children under 5.”