Political Quotes

“The arguments in favor of this amendment are numerous. The Federal Government made a commitment to the States as part of the welfare-to-work legislation that it would maintain funding for this program at the level of $2.38 billion each year. That commitment was made out of a recognition of the importance of the programs funded through title XX of the Social Security Act toward achieving the results, the goals of welfare to work. We are about to breach that commitment--not just to breach it, we are about to obliterate that commitment. Second, the proposal directs the States to spend a portion of their tobacco settlement to replace these Federal funds, the funds we have committed to make available to the States. We have voted in this Senate on numerous occasions, by margins of 70 to 30 or more, against that specific proposition, against the attempt of the Federal Government to play big father and direct the States as to how they should use their tobacco settlement money. Now, having beaten back the efforts at the front door, we see this effort coming in through the back door saying: Well, we are not going to tell you that you have to spend your money. We are just going to cut over half of a critical Federal partnership program with the States, a program we committed to as part of the States entering into the Welfare-to-Work Program. We are just going to suggest. And, by the way, you ought to spend your tobacco money to fund it. Outrageous.…”