[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 106 (Thursday, July 18, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1325-E1326]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 STANDING UP FOR OUR NATION'S CHILDREN

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. PATRICK J. KENNEDY

                            of rhode island

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 18, 1996

  Mr. KENNEDY of Rhode Island. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to urge my 
colleagues to join me in standing up for those who cannot stand up for 
themselves--our Nation's children.
  Much of this Congress has focused upon strengthening the American 
family. Family Values have been the centerpoint of much of the 
legislation that we have considered in these 2 years. Welfare reform 
should be the opportunity for us to truly demonstrate how much we value 
our children and our families. Today, as leaders, we can ensure that 
all children grow up with a roof over their heads, food to eat, and 
medical care should they become sick. Instead, we are faced with a 
mean-spirited proposal intent on punishing children for being poor.
  The GOP bill does not require work and encourage financial 
independence; instead it singles out children, the poor, the disabled, 
the elderly, and legal, taxpaying immigrants and punishes them for 
needing a helping hand. A recent GAO report expects that at least 1 
million children to be forced to live in poverty should this bill pass. 
Yet we will continue to subsidize wealthy corporations, helping them to 
grow and prosper while our children will be starving and suffering.
  In an era when the richer are getting richer I find it unconscionable 
that we should support such legislation. In the last decade, the 
richest 1 percent increased their share of the Nation's wealth to 47.2 
percent, while the bottom 90 percent saw their share of pie shrink to 
22.7 percent.
  The Republican Party's panacea for our budget troubles is known as 
the block grant. The fact of the matter is, Mr. Speaker, that if you 
are a small State with a struggling economy, block grants are a death 
sentence. A block grant does not reward who does the most, it rewards 
those who do the least. States like Rhode Island will be left to battle 
for funds to offer the most meager care and services and the casualties 
will be those in need will be left to fighting over the scraps.
  Republican block grants replace and entitlement system with a lottery 
system. Our rights as American citizens will depend on whether we live 
in a State with a good economy and a low level of need. There is 
nothing subtle about what they are really doing when the talk about 
``block grants'' in the same breath as ``States' Rights.'' And our 
answer should be no different than it has always been, and that is: 
Justice should not depend on geography.
  My State of Rhode Island boasts a myriad of immigrants who work hard 
every day, struggle to make ends meet and raise their families just 
like American citizens. And just like our citizens, they stumble upon 
hard times when a factory closes or the economy slows. By denying these 
individuals a helping hand in their time of need, simply because they 
are not American, we are rejecting the very principles this Nation was 
founded upon--equality, freedom, and opportunity. We are essentially 
demoting immigrants to second-class citizens by prohibiting them from 
accepting help from the system to which they contribute to every day.

[[Page E1326]]

  If we really believe in family values, then let us do a better job of 
valuing our families. Let us continue the Democratic fight for what 
families value: job opportunities, health care, child care, and housing 
for everyone--not just a select few.

                          ____________________