Rick Santorum

Mr. SANTORUM

Mr. SANTORUM. Reserving the right to object, we are still in the process of reviewing the modification. If the Senator can start the debate on the amendment, after we review the modification, we hope we will have no objection to it.

Mr. SANTORUM. We have no objection to the request. In fact, as the Senator has modified his amendment, we would be willing to accept the amendment without a rollcall vote.

Mr. SANTORUM. Aside from the administrative nightmare that would be created for the States to give them a block grant for some people and an entitlement for others and the administrative problem, this costs $1.4 billion over the next 7 years. As we have said many times, we are well under our reconciliation targets. This is money that is going to have to come out of other programs. We simply cannot afford this amendment. I urge rejection of the Kohl amendment.

Mr. SANTORUM. I move to lay that motion on the table. The motion to lay on the table was agreed to.

Mr. SANTORUM. I yield back the remainder of the our time.

Mr. SANTORUM. I will yield back the remainder of our time.

Mr. SANTORUM. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that further proceedings under the quorum call be dispensed with.

Mr. SANTORUM. Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. SANTORUM. Mr. President, we have no objection to the modification of the amendment.

Mr. SANTORUM

Mr. SANTORUM. Mr. President, I hope Members listen to this because this is a gutting amendment. I heard a lot of comments on the other side of the aisle, even from the President, about how the Republican bill was weak on work. What the amendment of the Senator from Florida does is eliminate all the work requirements. What he does is say that it makes all the participation rates of people getting into work voluntary. It eliminates any of the work requirement. This is the 1988 act back with you again, which, of course, required work but did not sanction anybody if they did not work. What has happened? Four percent of the welfare recipients work in this country today. This is the nuclear bomb on this bill which would basically say no one will have to work; you will not be penalized as a State if you do not get people to work. It makes work completely voluntary on the part of the States. Anyone who has come up here and said they are for welfare recipients to work, if you vote for this amendment, you are not for welfare recipients to have to go to work. I reserve the remainder of my time.

Mr. SANTORUM. Mr. President, I will read from the Senator's amendment. A State to which a grant is made under section 403 shall make every effort to achieve the national work participation rate goals. This is not a mandate--shall make every effort to achieve the goal. It does not mandate that they have to participate. They do not get sanctioned if in fact they do not meet these participation rate goals. [[Page S 13640]] It is the 1988 act all over again which says we want you to do it, but if you do not do this you do not get any sanction. This is the nonwork amendment. And I urge its defeat. I yield back the remainder of my time.

Mr. SANTORUM. Mr. President, I can reclaim my time? Mr. GRAHAM addressed the Chair.

Mr. SANTORUM. I yield my remaining time to the Senator from Colorado.

Mr. SANTORUM. I yield back the remainder of my time.

Mr. SANTORUM. Mr. President, if I can can respond to the Senator from Florida, what it says is that the Secretary shall consult with the States and establish a goal. It does not say what that goal is. It could be 2 percent. It could be 5 percent. It does not say anything about any kind of goal of 35 or 50 percent, which is what this bill does. You make it all arbitrary.

Mr. SANTORUM. It eliminates the participation rates that are in the bill today. And I yield the remainder of my time to the Senator from Colorado.

Mr. SANTORUM. Mr. President, I move to reconsider the vote by which the amendment was rejected.

Mr. SANTORUM

Mr. SANTORUM. Thank you, Mr. President. For the information of all Senators, the Senate will immediately resume the consideration of the welfare reform bill. As a reminder to all Senators, following 10 minutes of debate this morning there will be a rollcall vote on or in relationship to the Bingaman amendment, to be followed by a series of rollcall votes with 10 minutes of debate between each vote.

Mr. SANTORUM

Mr. SANTORUM. On whatever time I have remaining, I will do so, sure.

Mr. SANTORUM. Mr. President, in addition to this amendment costing $1 billion, this sets up a job training and job search program for deadbeat dads and for people who let their kids go on welfare. You have a hard-working parent who is trying to help their children, who is working in a job. They do not get any help from the Government. But if you have a deadbeat dad and you let your kids go on welfare, we are going to set up a job training and job search program for you. This is a misguided amendment.

Mr. SANTORUM

Mr. SANTORUM. Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. SANTORUM. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that a period for the transaction of morning business be extended until 5 p.m. under the same rules governing the previous unanimous consent agreement.

Mr. SANTORUM

Mr. SANTORUM. Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. SANTORUM. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that morning business be extended until 4 p.m., under the same provisions of the previous unanimous-consent request.

Mr. SANTORUM

Mr. SANTORUM. Mr. President, not to disappoint the Senator from New York, but I suggest the absence of a quorum.