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Note #7856 from PCUSA NEWS to PRESBYNEWS:

Washington Office among critics of welfare plan
03306
July 31, 2003

Washington Office among critics of welfare plan

Religious groups want program that can lift families out of poverty

by Evan Silverstein

LOUISVILLE - The Presbyterian Washington Office has joined a number of other
religious groups in expressing concern about a welfare-reauthorization plan
being considered by the Senate Finance Committee.

The Washington Office, which lobbies lawmakers on behalf of the Presbyterian
Church (USA), joined the other faith groups in sending a letter to all U.S.
senators about the federal government's principal cash-assistance program for
low-income families, Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF).

The other groups that signed on to the letter include the Union of American
Hebrew Congregations, Bread for the World, American Baptist Churches USA, the
Episcopal Church USA and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

The groups, calling themselves the Interreligious Working Group on Domestic
Human Needs, say an outline of the TANF program prepared by the Finance
Committee doesn't include "adequate funding for child care, the restoration
of benefits for immigrants, necessary expansion for education and training,
(or) the maintenance of the current work requirement, particularly the work
requirement for parents of pre-school children."

TANF, enacted by Congress in 1996, ended a 60-year-old entitlement program
that provided cash assistance to the nation's poorest people. TANF's original
authorization expired on Sept. 30, but it has been extended for a year by
continuing resolutions.

 The TANF rolls have decreased by about 60 percent since the program got
under way in 1997, but researchers say most of those who no longer receive
welfare are still impoverished. The robust economy of the late 1990s created
millions of jobs, but many paid poorly and did not include health insurance
and other benefits. It was those least attractive jobs, for the most part,
that were taken by people leaving TANF. As the economy has slowed, those jobs
have been disappearing, and the welfare rolls are growing again in most
states.

 The House passed its TANF bill (HR 4) in February, essentially endorsing a
proposal from the Bush administration. The Senate has repeatedly postponed
debate on the issue while dealing with other priorities.

The full text of the letter, dated July 23:

INTERRELIGIOUS WORKING GROUP ON DOMESTIC HUMAN NEEDS

July 23, 2003

Dear Senator:

As the Senate Finance Committee prepares to mark up legislation to
reauthorize the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program, we
urge you to call for TANF reauthorization that seeks to reduce poverty as its
primary goal. This goal is urgent in today's economy.

The signatories to this letter represent denominations and faith-based
organizations that collectively serve millions of Americans. Over the past
few years, we have consistently worked to share our priorities regarding TANF
reauthorization with Members of Congress. These priorities were selected in
keeping with our faith traditions, which consistently express concern for the
most vulnerable members of society, including members of our own communities
and congregations. Our faith traditions require both individual and social
responsibility when addressing the needs of people who are poor. We believe
that the suggestions that follow will lead to the reduction of poverty among
TANF recipients, allowing their families to achieve greater economic
stability.

Some of our priorities are reflected in the draft outline for TANF
reauthorization, prepared by the majority staff of the Senate Finance
Committee, including:

Improving child support by adopting provisions from Senator Snowe's child
support bill,

Excluding the superwaiver, which if adopted, would threaten the effectiveness
and integrity of crucial work support programs for poor families,

Excluding full family sanctions,

Supporting the concept of allowing caring for a child or adult family member
with a physical or mental impairment to count as work, though the standards
are too restrictive and currently would exclude caring for a disabled spouse
or a dependent receiving SSI or SSDI,

Including the concept of universal engagement, and

Eliminating the 2-parent rate.

However, we are extremely disappointed that the Committee's draft outline
fails to address several of our major concerns. We are especially alarmed
that it fails to include adequate funding for child care, the restoration of
benefits for immigrants, necessary expansion for education and training, and
the maintenance of the current work requirement, particularly the work
requirement for parents of pre-school children.

We urge you to call for the following changes to the Senate Finance
Committee's draft:

Increase funding by at least $5.5 billion to meet child care needs. A recent
study found that even without any increased costs associated with new work
requirements, an estimated 220,000 children in low income working families
will lose child care assistance by 2006, with the number rising to 361,000 by
2008. The study estimates that over $5.5 billion would be needed just to meet
current needs.

Support the restoration of full benefits to immigrants, including access to
federal TANF money, SCHIP and Medicaid services, child care, and appropriate
education and training.  At the very least, allow states the option to use
TANF block grant funds to serve documented immigrants. Immigrants make vital
contributions to our nation as taxpayers, workers, and neighbors.

Retain the current work requirement of 20 hours per week for parents of
pre-school children.

Retain the current work requirement of 30 hours per week because it fits the
realities of the low-wage labor market and because the state fiscal crises
have made it extremely difficult to obtain work. Increasing the work
requirement would also create bureaucratic problems in reporting and would be
too hard for the states to enforce.

Expand access to education and training by allowing it to count toward the
core work hours for 24 months and by removing the 30% cap. Maine's "Parents
as Scholars" program, which research has shown to be among the most effective
paths toward economic stability, is a good model for counting postsecondary
education as a work activity.

Review personal and structural barriers that affect TANF recipient' ability
to work before imposing sanctions. A single barrier may prevent successful
employment, and over one-third of TANF recipients must overcome three or more
barriers. For instance, the Committee's draft allows only 3 months for
treatment to overcome severe barriers to employment to count in the core 24
hours. This is arbitrary and inadequate; states should be allowed to count
activities to overcome barriers toward the core requirement for longer than 3
months.

We look forward to your response. If you have questions or concerns, do not
hesitate to contact Carolynn Race with the Presbyterian Church (USA) at (202)
543-1126 or Yonce Shelton with Call to Renewal at (202) 328-8745.

Sincerely,
American Baptist Churches USA
American Friends Service Committee
Bread for the World
Call to Renewal
Central Conference of American Rabbis
Christian Church (Disciples) Division of Homeland Ministries
Church of the Brethren Washington Office
Church Women United
The Episcopal Church, USA
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Friends Committee on National Legislation
The Interfaith Alliance
Mennonite Central Committee U.S. Washington Office
National Advocacy Center of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd
National Council of Churches of Christ in the U.S.A.
NETWORK, a National Catholic Social Justice Lobby
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Washington Office
Union of American Hebrew Congregations
Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations
Unitarian Universalist Service Committee
United Church of Christ Justice and Witness Ministries
United Methodist Church - General Board of Church and Society

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