[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 75 (Friday, May 24, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Page S5647]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                             WELFARE REFORM

  Mr. DOLE. Madam President, I will just say a word or two, and I will 
make a unanimous-consent request. Three days ago in Wisconsin, I 
outlined my welfare reform plan. Let me be as clear as I can about what 
it contains. There are five principal points.
  I mean every able-bodied welfare recipient to find work within 2 
years, or a shorter period of time if the State so desires.
  I mean a real 5-year lifetime limit on welfare payments with few 
exceptions.
  I mean making certain that illegal noncitizens are ineligible for all 
emergency benefits.
  I mean giving States the ability to stop payments to unmarried teens.
  And, above all, I mean trusting the Nation's Governors with the 
flexibility they need to establish the laboratories of our democracy.
  I think it is fair to say that there are different approaches. 
Everybody wants welfare reform. I think the President and I have a 
different approach. It will be debated--maybe after my departure from 
the Senate--and I hope there is some way to work out welfare and 
Medicaid as a package and have that signed by the President.
  We are witnessing in the inner cities out-of-wedlock births as high 
as 80 percent. Most Americans believe, I think, that able-bodied people 
on welfare should work if there are jobs, and the President indicated 
yesterday that, in effect, he said he would take our suggestions. I am 
not certain he has had an opportunity to read the bill. It was 
introduced a couple of days ago. If he does agree with my five 
positions, which I just stated--I do not think they are consistent with 
his views. In fact, I will indicate for the Record that he has a 
different view on almost each of the five.
  Governor Thompson and four other Republican Governors wrote to 
President Clinton, ``Without national welfare reform for all 50 States, 
the cycle of poverty goes on--for instance, the number of single women 
head of households in poverty has increased by 175,000 since you, Mr. 
President, took office.''
  No doubt about it, we must stop the plague of out-of-wedlock births 
in our inner cities, which is as high as 80 percent in some areas.
  We must give all able-bodied Americans a chance at the American work 
ethic.
  We must reform welfare. President Clinton is not doing this. As we 
all know, he has twice vetoed welfare reform passed by Congress. I 
wonder if he is willing to deny the American dream to another 
generation of Americans.
  President Clinton yesterday suggested my five positions outlined 
above were very consistent with his. They are not. The President 
suggested that Congress pass my welfare reform plan and the he will 
sign it.
  I am ready to move on my plan. I offer the following unanimous 
consent.

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