[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 102 (Thursday, July 11, 1996)]
[House]
[Pages H7265-H7266]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   PRESIDENT CLINTON SHOULD KEEP HIS WORD TO SIGN WISCONSIN WELFARE 
                                WAIVERS

  (Mr. GINGRICH asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. GINGRICH. Mr. Speaker, on July 13, 1995, speaking to the National 
Governors' Association, President Clinton asked the Governors to send 
him waivers on welfare and he said, ``If you do that, you sign them, 
you send them to me and we will approve them within 30 days.''
  On May 18 of this year the President devoted his weekly radio address 
to the Wisconsin welfare plan. He said he was encouraged by it. He said 
he was supportive of it. He said, ``I pledge that my administration 
will work with Wisconsin to make an effective transition to a new 
vision of welfare based on work.''
  Yesterday was the 30th day since Wisconsin submitted its welfare 
plan. The Clinton administration has broken its pledge given to the 
Governors a year ago. The Clinton administration has failed to approve 
the Wisconsin welfare waivers.
  This House voted overwhelmingly in favor of approving the Wisconsin 
welfare waivers. We believe that people should work if they are able 
bodied. We believe there should be a transition from welfare to work. 
We believe we should strengthen families by having a strong, firm 
commitment to collecting child support and to making sure that

[[Page H7266]]

child support is paid. We believe the future of the children of this 
country requires welfare reform.
  It is very unfortunate that the President has failed to sign the 
waiver for Wisconsin. I call on President Clinton today to keep his 
word to the Governors and to sign the Wisconsin welfare waivers and 
allow the people of Wisconsin to reform welfare.

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