THURSDAY, MAY 11, 1995
"The national holiday honoring our mothers dramatically conflicts with the message being sent to women and their children by politicians," Ireland said. "Instead of heartfelt messages of love and support, women are being handed an eviction notice with a painful message: If you are poor and on welfare, then you are not welcome in mainstream society. Mothers don't need candy and flowers on Mother's Day; they need support for themselves and for their children.
"We are delivering our own message to members of the Senate Finance Committee: Preserve AFDC as a guarantee of minimum assistance on which our nation's neediest women and children survive; preserve childcare for employed mothers on AFDC and extend childcare to needy, working families; preserve parenting, education and job training and placement programs; and preserve food and nutrition programs that benefit women and children.
"As our nationwide, grassroots campaign to stop political and economic attacks on women continues, we are witnessing a backlash against the Contract ON America and the Gingrich Congress. A national poll by the Peter Y. Harris Research Group released in April shows that most people in our country do not support radical welfare cuts that would adversely affect so many women and children," Ireland said. "When fully informed of the facts, those polled said they are against further cuts in welfare. Instead, they support increased opportunities for education and job training to provide ways for people to get off welfare, and they support childcare and healthcare for recipients who do find jobs.
"The Senate has the opportunity to submit a bill that would preserve the integrity and dignity of all families in our country instead of punishing women and children who are poor. Mother's Day could then be celebrated year-round by all mothers."