Burgess Owens: “I would like to begin by informing the gentleman from Delaware that the unfunded mandate in this bill would cost the…”

“I would like to begin by informing the gentleman from Delaware that the unfunded mandate in this bill would cost the State of Delaware about $33 million. I think it is important to note these unfunded mandates and the higher costs. Maybe the Governors in the States would like to have the farm subsidy bill given to the States so that they could have more flexibility there and return the administration of the TANF program strictly to the Federal Government. We had our previous speaker from New Jersey, the gentlewoman from New Jersey, who talked about tough love. When she first spoke, I thought she was talking about tough luck is what we are offering to welfare recipients. In the case of the farm subsidy bill, it is tough luck too if we get up to $390,000 in taxpayer safety net benefits if one is a farmer, and if that $390,000 a year is not enough, then tough luck after that. Consider the contrast. Also, consider the fraud that permeates this legislation and the whole process of discussion. If we really care about children, if we care about getting people out of poverty, then built into the legislation there ought to be some kind of punishment or incentives related to reducing the child care waiting list.”