Political Quotes

“this amendment, in which I am joined by Senators Wellstone, Rockefeller, and Dodd, will have the effect of reversing a decision made by the appropriations subcommittee to cut by more than 50 percent the funding in title 20 of the Social Security Act for social services block grants. This amendment will restore the program to the level that was authorized by the Finance Committee, which is $2.38 billion. This program, title 20 of Social Security, allocates funds to the States in block grant form, allowing them to provide services to vulnerable, low-income children and elderly, disabled people. The purpose of this program is to assist in maintaining the well-being of those Americans who, but for these types of services, might become direct, individual recipients of Social Security funds, whether they fell into such because of a disability, because of their circumstances in terms of losing the support of an adult, or because of the aging process. I can tell the Senate, as a former Governor of Florida, the State which has the highest percentage of persons over 65 in the Nation, and now, as a member of the Finance Committee, which has responsibility for the authorization of this program, I am aware of the positive contribution this program has made to the well-being of millions of Americans and to the fiscal well-being of the Social Security program.”