Congressional Record—House H1275
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April 11, 2002 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H1275 HONORING BILLY CASPER The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a cause of the flexibility that the States The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the gentle- have been given to implement these previous order of the House, the gen- woman from Georgia (Ms. MCKINNEY) is new requirements. recognized for 5 minutes. The real way that we can measure tleman from California (Mr. HUNTER) is the success of welfare reform, it seems recognized for 5 minutes. (Ms. MCKINNEY addressed the to me, is to look at the quality of the Mr. HUNTER. Mr. Speaker, this is House. Her remarks will appear here- family life after they have left welfare. the first day of the Masters, one of the after in the Extensions of Remarks.) Are these families earning sufficient most prestigious sports events in our f funds to really take their family out of Nation and, indeed, the world. And I WELFARE REFORM poverty, out of all of the support serv- rise today to commemorate the fact The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under ices that the poor in this country are that for only the second time in 45 the Speaker’s announced policy of Jan- entitled to? I think the answer to that years, one of the great golfers of this uary 3, 2001, the gentlewoman from Ha- question is that the substantial major- decade, in fact, one of the great golfers waii (Mrs. MINK) is recognized for 60 ity of families that have gone off wel- of this century, Billy Casper, is not minutes as the designee of the minor- fare are still poor, are still below pov- playing in the Masters. Billy Casper, ity leader. erty and are still dependent upon the won the Masters in 1970. He also won a Mrs. MINK of Hawaii. Mr. Speaker, I wide variety of support mechanisms couple of United States Open cham- appreciate the minority leader’s des- that are there for the poor in America. pionships. In fact, in 1966 at Olympic ignation of this hour to the discussion So, therefore, welfare reform, it seems Country Club in San Francisco, he of welfare reform. to me, has stopped short of accom- came from behind in what is considered The Bush administration has sub- plishing the real mission which it to be one of the most stunning come- mitted various proposals. Most of them should be, and that is to bring these from-behind victories in the history of go to the technicalities of States’ per- families up to economic self-suffi- golf. That is when he was seven shots formance and percentages of people ciency, to a matter of economic secu- back to Arnold Palmer with only nine that must be in a work program. They rity. holes to go and Billy Casper, called by have increased the work requirements One of the real mistakes I think that Golf Magazine the greatest putter in from 30 hours to 40 hours, with some al- we made in the enactment of TANF in the history of golf, managed to shoot a lowance for the use of 16 hours for 1996 is that we did not consider these 32 on the back nine at Olympic Coun- other than actual work activity. But in families as being those that might ben- try Club in San Francisco, one of the most cases the administration’s pro- efit from education. We have 1 year vo- most difficult golf tracks in the world. posals do not go to the matter of the cational training as a work activity, He tied Arnold Palmer for the U.S. actual recipients and families that but for many of the individuals on wel- Open championship and the next day have been affected by the many fare, additional educational opportuni- shot a 69 and beat Arnold Palmer. changes that we made in 1996. ties ought to be provided. That is the If you add to that great win, that I do not think there is any dispute on number one goal of legislation that I great success, and his other U.S. Open either side of the aisle that the provi- have introduced in the House last No- success and his 1970 Masters success sion of the 1996 Welfare Reform Act did vember, which now enjoys 90 cospon- the fact that Billy Casper won 51 times dramatically lower the number of wel- sors. And it looks to the welfare reform on the PGA tour, which puts him the fare recipients all across the country. legislation from the perspective of the sixth winningest golfer of all time, and This was because there were manda- recipient, not from the perspective of you add to that the fact that he has the tory requirements on work. If you did the mechanic, the percentages that are best Ryder Cup record in terms of wins not work, if you did not register for being held or the percentages that are and losses of any player in American work, if you did not go into some sort being gotten off of welfare or all of history, and you add to that the five of a work project, you would lose the those mathematical statistical charts. Vardon trophies he won on having the cash assistance. Therefore, the num- What we have done in the bill I intro- lowest scoring average on the U.S. bers that fell dramatically to about 50 duced, H.R. 3113, is to look to see how PGA tour, then you have to conclude percent of what they were in 1996 is ba- it impacted the families, and as a re- that Billy Casper indeed is one of the sically because of the rules that were sult of the legislation, H.R. 3113 cur- great heroes in sports history. included in the 1996 TANF legislation. rently enjoys the support and endorse- Mr. Speaker, I am proud that Billy The requirement to work has re- ment of over 80 organizations through- Casper lives in San Diego, California. moved many of these families from the out the country, the YWCA, the Na- He still plays golf at San Diego Coun- welfare roles. The problem with just re- tional League of Women Voters, a large try Club, where he worked as a caddy moving these families from the welfare number of women’s organizations, as a kid. He has a big heart. He has roles, however, is that they have sim- Business Professional Women, Center been a great leader of junior golf in de- ply gone to dead-end jobs, most of for Women Policy Studies, and on and veloping young golfers in our country them earning minimum wage, perhaps on. and, indeed, the Nation. Billy Casper is some as much as $6 or $7 an hour, but These individuals have not come on joined by his wife, Shirley, in all of his that is it. So most of these families re- to support the legislation as casual ob- efforts. He not only is a great athlete main under the poverty level and, servers. In most instances, they have and a great teacher but a great person therefore, continue to be a responsi- participated in the writing of the bill and a great leader in our community. bility of the national and State govern- from, again, the perspective of the Mr. Speaker, I know that the great- ments. child, of the family, of the single par- est golf field in the world is playing in ent, to see what we could do to enhance 1715 the Masters right now. The game is b their condition, their standing in our still on. We will have a leader today; They continue to be eligible for hous- society. and ultimately on Sunday afternoon ing support. They continue to be eligi- The people on welfare have to be we will see who the champion is. But ble for food stamps. They are eligible looked at as individuals who want des- there is one great champion, the 1970’s for Medicaid allowances and are, of perately to improve their condition, Masters champion who is not playing course, as former TANF recipients, and I think that the major item that is this time for only the second time in 45 going to work under the TANF rules missing in the current law and in the years, but he will be down there be- entitled to significant amounts of child Bush administration’s proposal is the cause he is a wonderful person. He has care support. importance of education. a big heart. He loves this event. He The object of welfare reform, it Our bill hopes to consider education loves the tradition. He loves the gal- seems to me, is to really take a look at as a work activity. The law says one leries which in turn love him because the outcomes, not simply the mecha- must be in a work activity. So in order he is indeed a great sportsman, one of nisms; what percentage, 50 percent, 60 to comply with the law, and not to be the great representatives of the game percent are at work. The mechanisms sanctioned for failure to comply, we of golf. Billy Casper. have been proven to work, partly be- must first of all say education is a.