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9/27/04 - TANF Update
From: Kullie Mellor, Welfare specialist, kulliejack@juno.com
Needed action:
Please contact your Senators now (call the Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121
or go to http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm
to find your Senator's contact information) and urge them to:
1. Oppose any short-term TANF
extension that includes policy changes.
If the Senate wants to debate policy changes in the TANF program, then
the extension of TANF must be longer than only six months. States need
stability, both of funding, and program policies, to maintain quality
services.
2. Oppose the Santorum-Bayh
marriage promotion and fatherhood proposal.
This proposal diverts scarce resources to fund priorities that are out
of touch with families who have been left behind by the economic recovery.
Provide an example from your own community of the real barriers to economic
sufficiency that families face.
The following information comes from The Children's Defense Fund:
"As early as today, Senators Santorum (R-PA) and Bayh (D-IN) will
introduce a bill to extend the current Temporary Assistance for Needy
Families (TANF) law, with two problematic policy changes. Senators Santorum
and Bayh have reached a bipartisan agreement to push two priorities -
marriage promotion and fatherhood programs - that are out of touch with
the real needs of families struggling to make ends meet.
Although details are scarce, we believe their proposal would extend funding
for the TANF block grant for only six months, while including two years
of funding for marriage promotion and fatherhood but nothing for child
care. Their bill is expected to earmark $200 million for marriage promotion,
from currently flexible TANF funding, and $75 million for fatherhood programs,
from mandatory TANF funds. Clearly, this is an effort to lock-in funding
for programs that divert limited resources toward unproven strategies,
rather than meet concrete, immediate family needs; like increased funding
for quality child care to ensure that children are cared for while their
mothers are working, and education and training to help parents move beyond
low-wage, dead-end jobs."
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