[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 101 (Wednesday, July 10, 1996)]
[House]
[Page H7164]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    THE PRESIDENT AND WELFARE REFORM

  (Mr. LEWIS of Kentucky asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. LEWIS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, last May, Bill Clinton clearly 
stated that the Wisconsin welfare reform plan was a solid, commonsense 
plan for moving people from welfare dependence to work. Here is what he 
said on May 18 during his weekly radio address, ``I pledge that my 
administration will work with Wisconsin to make an effective transition 
to a new vision of welfare based on work * * *.''
  Today, the 30-day public comment period expires and yet we hear 
nothing from the White House about the Wisconsin welfare waivers. Not a 
peep.
  Mr. Speaker, clearly there is a complete and total disconnect between 
what Bill Clinton does and what he says. As George Will once said, Bill 
Clinton believes everything he emphatically says, right up until the 
second he totally repudiates it.
  The same applies to welfare reform. Bill Clinton will say anything to 
make people believe he wants to change welfare, but when it comes time 
for action, he will come to the defense of the liberal status quo.

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