Speech #920173809

I thank the Senator from Connecticut for his fine statement. I think he put his finger on it: If something similar to H.R. 1 or some welfare reform bill is passed in which the Federal Government assumes the responsibilities of welfare. certainly then you can talk about a phaseout of the this program. because these people who would be eligible under the program would be able to be picked up by the Federal Government. But until that happens. until we are sure that happens. we should not have a cutoff date in this bill which puts an obligation on any State that happens to have these refugees: and it happens that Florida has a vast number. That is why we would like to see fairness invoked here and see that this continues without a cutoff date. until something is done about the Federal program. so that until that time neither Florida nor Dade County will be taxed. The figures we have received show that a certain number of these people would not qualify for State welfare. so they would have to be picked up under the county welfare. and that would be a particular burden to Dade County itself.