Gerald Kleczka: “welfare programs come in various sizes and shapes. There are good welfare programs and bad welfare programs. A few weeks…”

“welfare programs come in various sizes and shapes. There are good welfare programs and bad welfare programs. A few weeks ago the Congress passed a farm bill, a farm bill that was signed by the President this last weekend. That bill increased farm spending $180 billion, an increase of almost 80 percent, giving growers in this country, large corporate farmers, up to $360,000 a year of taxpayer money. Under a loophole in the bill, they can get as high as $700,000 per year. Mr. Speaker, welfare to corporate farmers and agribusiness is good welfare. However, welfare to poor people is not good welfare. That is bad welfare. Mr. Speaker, I voted for the welfare bill back in 1996, and when I did so I indicated to the Members that my major reservations were that we did not do enough to promote education, and clearly the child care funding was inadequate. Now, with 6 years experience, we find out that that I was right. And, the Republican bill does nothing to address these two most serious concerns. Yes, we have dramatically reduced the welfare rolls over the last number of years, but we have not reduced the poverty rate. The Cardin substitute truly does address the poverty rate. Right now we say, get a job, and then after you are done working and taking care of your kids, you can also go to school and that will be counted as work. But we have put the cart before the horse.”