[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 141 (Tuesday, October 31, 2000)]
[Senate]
[Page S11385]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     FAMILY OPPORTUNITY ACT OF 2000

  Mr. President, I rise today to talk about the Family Opportunity Act, 
S. 2744. Senator Kennedy and I introduced this bill in March of this 
year. Representatives Sessions and Waxman introduced the companion bill 
in the House of Representatives in August. It is a strongly bipartisan 
bill. There are 77 Senate cosponsors and 139 House cosponsors. This 
bill will make life easier for working American parents caring for a 
child with a severe disability.
  Shortly after introducing this bill, I worked in a bipartisan way to 
secure a budget reserve fund in the budget resolution. Subsequently, 
the Senate Budget Committee convened a hearing on the bill. Then, in 
July, the President announced his support for the bill.
  Logic would tell us that a bill with this kind of bipartisan support 
would stand a good chance of being approved by the Congress. 
Unfortunately, this bill is not among the final, end-of-year 
legislative packages. One likely explanation is that the families who 
would be helped by this bill do not have the same kind of political 
influence and clout that other powerful interest groups have. Working 
parents are not a powerful voice in Washington, even though they have 
every legitimate right to be a powerful voice in Washington.
  Interestingly, today the bill was discussed on the House floor by a 
very powerful Member of the House of Representatives. The distinguished 
House Member was under the impression that the Family Opportunity Act 
is primarily a Democratic bill. In fact, the Family Opportunity Act has 
broad bipartisan support. In addition, it is based on strongly held 
Republican principles.
  The Family Opportunity Act is, No. 1, pro-family, No. 2, pro-work, 
No. 3, pro-opportunity and, No. 4, pro-States rights.
  Pro-family. When you are a parent, your main objective is to provide 
for your child to the best of your ability. Right now, our Federal 
Government takes this goal and turns it upside down for parents of 
children with special health care needs. In the worst cases, parents 
give up custody of their child with special health care needs or put 
their child in an out-of-home placement just to keep their child's 
access to Medicaid-covered services.
  Pro-work. Federal policies today force these parents to choose 
between work and their children's health care. That is a terrible 
choice.
  Many parents of children with disabilities refuse jobs, pay raises, 
and overtime just to preserve access to Medicaid for their child with 
disabilities. Thousands of families across the country are caught in 
this Catch-22.
  Pro-opportunity. The Family Opportunity Act of 2000 was created to 
help parents have the opportunities they deserve. It does so by 
providing parents the opportunity to work without the fear of harming 
their children. Allowing parents to break free from constraints that 
force many of them to stay impoverished is a win-win. Parents who work 
are also taxpayers. That's good for the government and the economy. 
And, parents who work are better able to provide for their families. 
That's good for children.
  Pro-States rights. Governor Huckabee from Arkansas said it best at 
the Senate Budget Committee hearing I chaired in July. He said:

       The Family Opportunity Act encourages progress for the 
     family and places government on the side of the people where 
     it should be. No child and no family should be the victim of 
     a process which conspires against the very foundational 
     principles on which we have existed for over 200 years. This 
     Act will restore principled leadership from all of us as 
     leaders who rightly see our roles as servants of the 
     citizens, not the other way around.

  I can't emphasize strongly enough how important a bill like the 
Family Opportunity Act is to working families across America. Everybody 
wants to use their talents to the fullest potential, and every parent 
wants to provide as much as possible for his or her children. The 
government shouldn't get in the way.
  If this bill is allowed to die, that would be a missed opportunity of 
the highest level. I urge my colleagues to reconsider its status.
  Winston Churchill once said:

       Never give in, never give in, never, never, never, never--
     in nothing, great or small, large or petty--never give in 
     except to convictions of honor and good sense.

  Legislation to help families help themselves make good sense.
  Mr. WELLSTONE addressed the Chair.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Minnesota.
  Mr. WELLSTONE. First of all, I thank Senator Grassley. I very much 
appreciate his effort, with Senator Kennedy. He does not give in, 
especially when it is a matter of principle to him. I thank him for his 
good work.

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