[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 42 (Tuesday, March 7, 1995)]
[House]
[Page H2730]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                     REFORM FOR THE NEXT GENERATION

  (Mrs. SEASTRAND asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute.)
  Mrs. SEASTRAND. Mr. Speaker, in trying to help the least advantaged 
among us, our Federal Government has instead created a culture of 
poverty that is destroying the next generation. It created a safety net 
that works as a hammock instead of a trampoline. It created reliance 
when we wanted self-help. And it started a cycle of dependency when we 
wanted charity. The clients of the welfare system have instead become 
its victims.
  Now Congress has the opportunity to change the system. We have the 
obligation to reform the system. And we have the moral imperative to 
transform this system of dependency. While others have come to defend 
the welfare state, they have instead declared war on our children of 
the next generation because they don't recognize this era has raised 
the white flag over the current culture of poverty. Mr. Speaker our 
welfare system is normally bankrupt and only through a mixture of 
compassion and tough love will we be able to keep our country from 
declaring moral chapter 11 and defaulting on the next generation--our 
children.


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