David Obey: “Mr. Chairman, the reason this bill is here is because 15 million kids go home every day to an empty house because so…”

“Mr. Chairman, the reason this bill is here is because 15 million kids go home every day to an empty house because so many of them have two parents working outside of the home. That is why we are providing after-school centers. If this amendment passes, we will be ignoring the fact that most of the juvenile crime in this country occurs between the hours of 3 o'clock in the afternoon and 7 in the evening. We will be ignoring the fact that this amendment would cut back by 27 percent each and every one of the grants that now serves some 3,000 centers in the United States. If we take a look at the way this program works that the gentleman is trying to cut, 28 percent of the kids who are participating in these after-school activities have been identified as kids with disabilities. In terms of need, if we want to measure it, just recognize the fact that there are 2,200 communities which have requested that we provide a total of $1.3 billion in assistance for after-school centers. The agency has been able to fund only 310 new grants. That is not enough to meet the problem. I would suggest to the gentleman, I appreciate where he wants to put the money, but where he wants to take the money from is a tremendously bad idea. If Members care about youth discipline, if Members care about crime, I urge rejection of the amendment.”