Richard K. Armey: “Today is the deadline this administration imposed on itself for granting Wisconsin the freedom to reform its welfare…”

“Today is the deadline this administration imposed on itself for granting Wisconsin the freedom to reform its welfare system. Two-thirds of the Wisconsin Legislature approved a welfare reform plan that requires work and restores the values of responsibility and family. President Clinton endorsed the Wisconsin reforms in a radio address to the Nation and eventually agreed to approve the plan by today, July 10. Remember President Clinton's campaign promise to end welfare as we know it? That promise energized the Nation's Governors, who have put forward ambitious plans to reward work over dependency. But State legislators eager to end welfare as we know it have been forced to sit on their hands, waiting for permission from Washington, only to have bureaucrats rewrite their welfare reform plans and make them ineffective. Welfare as we know it continues, despite enormous effort from our Nation's Governors. The President has vetoed welfare reform twice, despite his campaign promise. Today he has a chance to keep another welfare reform promise, this one made to the people of Wisconsin--or, Mr. Speaker, is this not one of the promises the President meant to keep?”