Joe Cunningham: “Let me give my colleagues a good example of coming to arms. I had a doctor come into my office about 3 years ago. And I…”

“Let me give my colleagues a good example of coming to arms. I had a doctor come into my office about 3 years ago. And I was fortunate enough to write much of the welfare reform bill, being on the Committee on Education and the Workforce. He said, ``Duke, I had a lady come in my office with a 13-year-old daughter. She wanted to know what was wrong with her daughter that had just had her fourth menstrual cycle that she couldn't have a child. She wanted the welfare money.'' Now, what happens to those children? There is one view that would continue to spend trillions of dollars in the old welfare system. To me, that was a waste. And we have to send our tax dollars there. But what we did is stood up to the plate, made a commitment that we are going to solve the welfare and slavery problem of the people trapped in the inner cities. Now, that child, what chance do they have of the American dream? Zero. Is it because the parents raised them? No. They are busy having other children. Is it the grandmother? Usually. If it is a male child, that child is in a gang. And if it is a female today, that child is in a gang. And where do they turn? Can they get a job? No. Do they have an American dream? No. They go to drugs and crime, and then it is perpetuated over and over again. But we stood up to the plate. And in many States like the gentleman's, over 50 percent of the welfare roles are coming off just because we said, you should go to work. The average welfare recipient was 16 years.…”