[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 62 (Wednesday, May 15, 2002)]
[House]
[Page H2476]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            H.R. 4700 WILL TURN BACK CLOCK ON WELFARE REFORM

  (Ms. WATSON of California asked and was given permission to address 
the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. WATSON of California. Mr. Speaker, do Members hear the children 
crying? We will surely hear them cry if we vote to support the 
administration's proposal to reauthorize TANF. The primary goal of most 
Democratic Members of Congress has been to reduce poverty and to ensure 
the well-being of children in the welfare system.
  The proposals in H.R. 4700 would adversely affect hundreds of 
thousands of welfare recipients. The administration's welfare reform 
proposals are restrictive, and will severely limit the State of 
California's ability to respond effectively and efficiently to the 
needs of its welfare recipients. The long-term fiscal impacts of this 
legislation will cost California $2.8 billion over a 5-year period 
because these proposals do not include increases in the TANF block 
grants. California's options for funding the projected costs will be 
limited to using State resources. This will essentially mean deep 
reductions in the TANF programs, and this is not right.
  Quite simply put, H.R. 4700 will turn back the clock on welfare 
reform. Please vote no.

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