[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 109 (Tuesday, July 23, 1996)]
[House]
[Pages H8104-H8105]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               WELFARE REFORM CONCERNS OF MY CONSTITUENTS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of May 
12, 1995, the gentlewoman from Texas [Ms. Jackson-Lee] is recognized 
during morning business for 5 minutes.
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, the important thing about 
representation is to ensure that Members go home and relate to those 
who have elected them. As I go home every weekend, I try to solicit 
from my constituents their concerns or reflections on the past week's 
legislative activity,

[[Page H8105]]

and it has been eye-opening and certainly they have been extremely 
responsive.
  Last week was, in fact, the week that was, first of all with the 
tragedy of TWA flight 800 and the condolences that all of us extended 
to their families along with our prayers. Certainly my constituents 
wanted to solicit from me the response that whatever was the 
occurrence, that if it was found to be something that was criminal in 
nature, that justice would be had, and I committed that to them.
  But also they reflected on the welfare reform and to a one, coming 
from a diverse district, as I do, with African-Americans and Hispanics 
and Anglos and Asians in Texas, indicated that we can have welfare 
reform without being harsh and terminating individuals' ability to 
survive. So they were inclined to say that we needed job training and 
child care and that we needed an opportunity for those individuals to 
have health care and, yes, we needed a job; quite contrary to the 
welfare reform of our Republican friends who simply believe that the 
harshness of saying no, no to teenage parents, no to the seniors in 
senior citizens' homes who need Medicaid, no to those who need job 
training and child care, is the way to go.
  I rise today to say there has to be a better way, so I have supported 
President Clinton's method of enforcement of child support payments and 
giving to the Nation the list of deadbeat parents, because we all must 
show responsibility and that is a real part of welfare reform. So I 
would argue to my Republican colleagues that one does not always have 
to hit someone upside the head, but one can soften the blow by saying 
we will give them an extended hand of assistance.
  Then as I have listened to the debate this morning about Medicare, I 
think it is important to respond to those who might say that the 
Speaker's comments were taken out of context. I would only offer to say 
that when we are in places of responsibility, we have to mean what we 
say and say what we mean.
  The Medicare proposals by the Republicans last year were in fact to 
eliminate $245 billion for a tax cut for those making over $100,000, 
$187 billion taken out of Medicaid. Might I remind Members that 60 
percent of Medicaid is indigent senior citizens in nursing homes, your 
parents and my parents.
  Mr. Speaker, it is important when we begin this debate to tell the 
American people the real facts so that we can get the job done.

                          ____________________