Political Quotes

“Mr. Chairman, I come to this issue from a little different perspective. My wife and I have a son who is 4 years old, we have a daughter who is 2 years old, and we have another daughter who is 12 weeks old. I am very well paid. But if you were to tell me or if you were to tell my wife that she has to give 8 hours of community service, to volunteer, my reaction would be, I will tell you what good community service is for a caregiver, either a mother or a father who is alone with a child. The best community service that that person can give is to take care of their child, whether the child is 12 weeks old, 2 years old, or 4 years old. I want that parent to be there to help that child. I understand why the gentleman from New York is saying, well, if you are an able-bodied person and you do not have kids around the house, or if you are able, we do not want you to lie around on the couch. We may agree or disagree on the merits of that. But I think all of us recognize that at certain times in a person's life you simply do not have the time to go out and help in community service.”