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November 16, 2002, Update on Legislation Regarding Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) The situation with regard to TANF appears to have been clarified somewhat, although we cannot say for sure what Congress will do until it does it. It appears that the intent is to approve the President's request for a Department of Homeland Security, pass a very short-term Continuing Resolution to fund the government, and adjourn for the year. CURRENT STATUS On November 13, the House passed and sent to the Senate a Continuing Resolution (H.J. Res. 124) to extend funding for government programs, including TANF, through January 11, 2003. This means that when the new Congress convenes on January 7, it will again face the issue of completing its work on the budget for the fiscal year that began on October 1, 2002. There probably will be more Continuing Resolutions before all of the appropriations work is finished. It is our understanding that funding for the first quarter of state TANF operations will be released January 1, so that state programs can continue even if the TANF issue is not resolved by January 11. However, including TANF in this short-term measure rather than giving it a longer extension may mean that Congress intends to have the debate they should have had in 2002 and do a full reauthorization early in the next year. If that is the case, then advocacy between now and January is absolutely crucial. Please contact your Governor and state legislators to express your concerns. Ask them to contact your state's congressional delegation and urge that they not make the TANF program any harder for states to administer than it already is (such as by increasing the work requirement). If you need a reminder of the specific issues of most concern to the religious community, click here to read the letter from interreligious organizations posted in September 2002. Representatives and Senators should be at home between now and January and may be meeting with constituents. This would be an ideal time for you to visit or phone their local offices regarding TANF. You can find contact information for state offices at http:/www.house.gov and http:/www.senate.gov. Any time from Thanksgiving week on would be perfect for writing a letter to the editor of your local paper about TANF. Many of you will be talking to the press during this period because local media usually focuses during the holiday season on public interest stories about local efforts to help low-income people. You could use such an opportunity to point out that Congress has the chance to be very helpful to needy people in the context of TANF reauthorization. AN OMINOUS NOTE REGARDING NEXT YEAR'S T.A.N.F. ACTION With the change of the Senate to Republican control, Sen.
Charles Grassley of Iowa will become Chair of the Finance Committee which has jurisdiction
over TANF. He issued a statement this week saying, in part: "After six years,
the welfare reform act expired Sept. 30, 2002. The Senate's Democratic leadership didn't
take up the issue. As a result, our nation's safety net program is outdated in some
cases. It needs maintenance and improvements, just like any major program that
impacts so many people. For example, work requirements have become very low because of the
formula The bill passed by the House in 2002 was nearly identical to President Bush's proposal. House leaders have said they do not intend to change it prior to consideration in 2003. That legislation would alter the work provisions of TANF to require that 70% of the adults in the caseload work 40 hours a week. The Governors and state legislators have already said this plan is not workable, because the economy is weak and unemployment is rising, and because the measure provides no additional resources to achieve this goal. It will be difficult for the Senate to resist such provisions if the Chair of the Finance Committee advocates increased work requirements. NEW RESOURCES Percent Change in TANF Families and Recipients: December 2001 - June 2002. The most recent TANF caseload data is now available from the Administration for Children and Families, Department of Health and Human Services at http:/www.acf.dhhs.gov/news/stats/percent_2002_rev.htm. Children in Single-Parent Families Living in Poverty Have Fewer Supports after Welfare Reform, Deanna M. Lyter, Melissa Sills, and Gi-Taik Oh, Institute for Women's Policy Research, September 2002. Available at http:/www.iwpr.org/pdf/d451.pdf. The Use of Public Funds for Delivery of Faith-Based Human Services, Lisa M. Montiel, Roundtable on Religion & Social Welfare Policy, Rockefeller Institute of Government, September 2002. Available at http:/www.pewtrusts.org/pdf/religion_rountable_use_of_public_funds.pdf Mary Cooper |