[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 76 (Wednesday, May 29, 1996)]
[House]
[Page H5574]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                             WELFARE REFORM

  (Mr. COOLEY asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Mr. COOLEY. Madam Speaker, on welfare reform Bill Clinton has 
performed one shameless flip-flop after the next. During the 1992 
Presidential campaign, candidate Clinton promised to end welfare as we 
know it. President Clinton never offered any serious welfare reform 
program. There was never even a vote on welfare reform when the 
Democrats controlled the Congress during the first 2 years of his 
Presidency. Clinton on the record opposes the idea of allowing 
governments to pursue their own welfare programs, saying there is a 
danger that some States will get into a race to the bottom.
  When the Republicans led the Congress, we kept our promise and sent 
Bill Clinton a bill that would genuinely reform welfare. We not only 
sent it to him once but we sent it to him twice, and he vetoed it both 
times. Madam Speaker, I think we need to look at welfare reform very 
seriously and offer the American people a new program that will truly, 
truly revise welfare.

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