Mr. Speaker. today we take up the welfare reform bill sponsored by our Republican colleagues. This would end cash assistance for mothers. children. and legal immigrants. Last week my own cardinal for the archdiocese of Detroit said this: "The measure of any such reforms will be whether or not they enhance the lives and dignity of poor children and their families." The truth- Is that these welfare reform proposals fail the cardinals test and they fail the test which was set forth by the Catholic archbishops and bishops last week. Almost $70 billion will be removed from welfare programs. $2.2 million legal immigrants will lose eligibility. 6 million needy children will lose their cash support. 65.000 children in my own State will lose their lunch money. The Republicans cut money but they do nothing to improve the way the welfare reform programs operate. That is not reform.
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immigrants