Over strenuous objections from the White House, the Senate voted on Tuesday for a significant increase in money to provide child care to welfare recipients and other low-income families.
The vote, 78 to 20, expressed broad bipartisan support for a proposal to add $6 billion to child care programs over the next five years, on top of a $1 billion increase that was already included in a sweeping welfare bill. The federal government now earmarks $4.8 billion a year for such child care assistance.
The Bush administration objected to the increase in child care money, saying it was not needed.
NY Times article
The vote, 78 to 20, expressed broad bipartisan support for a proposal to add $6 billion to child care programs over the next five years, on top of a $1 billion increase that was already included in a sweeping welfare bill. The federal government now earmarks $4.8 billion a year for such child care assistance.
The Bush administration objected to the increase in child care money, saying it was not needed.
"Let them eat cake," I believe they were overheard to utter in unison.
But President Bush and Republican leaders in Congress favor the overall bill, which would renew the 1996 welfare law and impose stricter work requirements on welfare recipients.
Now that's something they can support.
Members of both parties said they voted for the increase because Congress could not require welfare recipients to work longer hours without more child care.
Surprisingly (to me, at least) both Bill Frist and Orrin Hatch voted in favor of the funding.
Not surprisingly, Rick Santorum was dead against it.
....but hey, do what you want....you will anyway.
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