Issue:

In 2002 the Food Stamp Program, Welfare Reauthorization, and the Child Care Block Grant will expire, and must be re-authorized by Congress. These three measures, and eight other child-friendly provisions, are included in the Children's Defense Fund's campaign, "To Leave No Child Behind." Though it is not likely that the CDF-initiated legislation (S 940/HR 1990) will pass as a stand-alone bill, each of the 11 Titles could be handled within specific legislation. The Presbyterian Church (USA) supports all 11 Titles, but expects that Congress will move them as separate provisions.

Follow their progress on the Washington Office website, or through our E-Serve and publications programs. Use the enclosed enrollment form to sign up for the Women & Families network.

It is not clear when Congress will take another look at the Act in its entirety or the bills that have elements of the Act included in them. However, action will be needed on short notice when Congress decides to do so.

Action:

Call your Senators and Representative and tell them that you support the provisions of The Act to Leave No Child Behind, specifically food stamp and welfare reauthorization, and the child care grant renewal.

U.S. Capitol Switchboard: 202-224-3121

U.S. House of Representatives U.S. Senate
Washington, D.C. 20515 Washington, D.C. 20510

Background:

The provisions of The Act to Leave No Child Behind (S 940/HR 1990), introduced in May 2001 by Sen. Dodd (D-CT) and Rep. Miller (D-CA), seek to address the needs of all children, with particular attention to the needs of poor and minority children and those with disabilities.

Many families have been leaving the welfare rolls since 1997, and though parents are able to find temporary work, most still remain in poverty. In 1998-1999 forty-eight states, including the District of Columbia, submitted data to show the correlation between wages and work. In the first quarter, former welfare recipients received $2,027, rising to $2,647 by the third quarter (Children's Defense Fund, 2001 report). Even with the third-quarter increase, the wages earned were still significantly less than the federal poverty level for that year.

The provisions in the Act introduce a major shift in the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Program; from reducing caseloads to helping families achieve above-poverty-level incomes. Some other positive aspects of the provisions include:

• Requiring model training materials for caseworkers, making improvements to the Food Stamp program (designed to increase the number of eligible families who gets benefits), and creating a new Gateways Program designed to help eligible families get access to the public benefits they need.
  
• Addressing work barrier programs contained in the TANF.
  
• Allowing for a broad range of education/training to count as work activities under TANF.
  
• Increasing access to health care not only for children, but also qualifying the parents for medical treatment.
  
• Increasing funding for child care and Head Start programs.

Other issues covered by the Titles include: safe and affordable housing, nutrition programs at the school and increases in food stamps allocations to families per month, youth development programs for teenagers, as well as school safety programs conducted by the states.

The Economic Policy Institute released a report in August 2001 revealing that most families would need to earn at least twice the federal poverty income level to keep their heads above water. Across the U.S., unemployment is looming and children are suffering as a result of policies meant to band-aid a problem instead of preventing or solving it. Before September 11th people were returning to the welfare rolls to seek partial aid to provide for themselves and their children. Now, in this unique time in American history, we need make sure there is a safety net for the growing numbers who need temporary help to regain control over their lives.

Individual bills with similar provisions include:

• Pre-Kindergarten Grant Program (H.R. 1649) by Rep. Andrews (D-NJ); The
• Child Support Distribution Act of 2001 (H.R. 1471) by Reps. Johnson (R-CT) and Cardin (D-MD);
• The National Affordable Housing Trust Fund Act of 2001 (H.R. 2349) by Rep.
• Sanders (I-VT); Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2001 (S. 277/H.R.665) by Sen. Kennedy (D-MA) and Rep. Bonior (D-MI);
• Mental Health Juvenile Justice Act (S. 465 in 106th Congress/H.R. 2198) by Sen. Wellstone (D-MN) and Rep. Miller (D-CA);
• The Juvenile Crime Prevention and Control Act of 2001 (S. 1165) by Sens. Biden (D-DE), Kohl (D-WI) and Reed (D-RI).