GOVERNMENT RELATIONS ACTION ALERT
Reauthorization of 1996 Welfare Law
April 9, 2002
Congress is moving quickly on the reauthorization of the 1996 Personal
Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA), P.L. 104-193.
The House is expected to pass a new bill before Memorial Day with the Senate to
follow sometime in July. The President jump-started the process when he unveiled
his framework for reauthorization in February (see www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2002/02/welfare-reform-announcement-book.html).
A handful of reauthorization bills have been introduced in the House and
Senate, but NASW has not formally endorsed any of them. Rather, the association
has found that promoting proposals, developed by NASW and others, that address
specific issues is a more effective strategy for ensuring that the "social work
voice" is heard. NASW has been building support for those proposals among
other national organizations and advocating for them in meetings with targeted
members of the House and Senate.
This week, Rep. Wally Herger (R-CA), who chairs the Human Resources
Subcommittee of the House Ways and Means Committee, which has primary
jurisdiction over welfare, is expected to introduce a bill that will encompass
the majority of the President's plan and serve as the House's primary
reauthorization bill. The Subcommittee is scheduled to mark-up the bill next
week, most likely April 18. The full committee is expected to consider the bill
the following week, most likely April 24.
The President's proposal fails to address NASW's policy priorities (reducing
poverty, addressing barriers, creating a stable and professional workforce--see
www.socialworkers.org/advocacy/welfare/legislation/recommend.pdf)
and rather than improving current law, would actually make it worse. It would
straight-jacket states and recipients by narrowing the current definition of
what counts as work, requiring 70 percent of the caseload to be engaged in
"work," and requiring recipients to be engaged in work or work-related
activities for 40 hours a week. Current law contains a broader definition of
work and requires 50 percent of the caseload to be engaged in work for 30 hours
a week (20 hours for parents with young children). However, without the current
caseload reduction credit, which allows states to count recipients who have left
the rolls as "engaged in work," no state would meet the 50 percent requirement.
Without the credit, some states' participation rate is as low as zero percent.
More stringent work requirements would severely limit opportunities for
recipients to participate in education or training activities or to address any
barriers to work, such as a mental disability, substance abuse, or domestic
violence. Participants would be eligible for substance abuse treatment or other
form of "rehabilitation" for only three months within a 24 month period. There
are no provisions designed to improve the welfare workforce -- either through
training, hiring more skilled staff, or addressing caseload size and working
conditions.
ACTION NEEDED
Top Priority
Contacts with the Members of the House Ways and Means Committee. States
represented by Committee members include Arizona, California, Colorado,
Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland,
Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New York, North Dakota, Ohio,
Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Texas, Washington, and Wisconsin.
Please call your Representative TODAY! All Members can be reached through the
Capitol Switchboard 202-225-3121. Individual office numbers are available
through the Committee
website.
Message (for greater effectiveness, personalize your message based on
your own experience)
I am a professional social worker calling from (city of residence) to urge
Representative (last name) to oppose welfare proposals that would hamper
(state's) efforts to give people the tools and training they need to move toward
social and economic well-being.
Plans to require 70 percent of the caseload to work for 40 hours a week are
simply unworkable. States that have been creative in addressing the varied needs
of their recipients will be forced to adopt a one-size-fits-all approach that
ignores strategies found to be effective in moving families into jobs,
sustaining them in jobs, and helping them move up the economic ladder.
Instead, I urge the Congressman/woman to support proposals that reward states
for increasing access to education and training, providing services and supports
for families addressing barriers, such as mental disorders, substance abuse, and
domestic violence, and improving program performance through a more stable and
professional welfare workforce. Without greater attention in these areas, the
2002 reauthorization of the 1996 welfare law will move current programs backward
rather than forward. Thank you.
Timing
To be most effective, contacts should be made by April 24 -- the date the
full Committee is expected to take action.
Comprehensive Welfare Reauthorization Legislation (introduced as of
04/08/02). (For bill language, cosponsors, etc., see http://thomas.loc.gov/).
Next Step in Reforming Welfare Act (H.R. 3625), introduced by Rep.
Benjamin Cardin (D-MD).
- Maintains current state discretion in defining work; expands access to
education and training; rewards states that reduce child poverty; includes
inflationary funding increase for TANF block grant.
- Allows six months of activities to address barriers to count as work;
requires outreach and review of cases for possible barriers prior to imposing
sanctions.
- Includes "staff training" as an allowable use of funds in a grant program
designed to improve access to other federal programs.
TANF Reauthorization Act of 2001 (H.R. 3113), introduced by Rep. Patsy
Mink (D-HI).
- Significantly expands the definition of what "counts as work" to include the
full range of educational activities, including caring for a child who is under
age 6 or disabled, as well as activities to address barriers; "stops the clock"
for recipients in compliance with program rules; eliminates state option to
shorten the five year time limit; lifts the 20 percent cap on hardship
exemptions; expands use of Individual Development Accounts (IDAs); rewards
states that reduce child poverty.
- Establishes standards and procedures for individuals to be assessed for
barriers by qualified professionals; counts activities to address barriers as
work; rewards states that are successful in addressing barriers; requires states
to waive any program requirement that unfairly penalizes an individual who is
addressing one or more barrier, including work requirements and time limits.
- Requires states to train frontline workers in ensuring rights of recipients;
rewards states that train caseworkers and supervisors in addressing barriers;
requires use of qualified professionals to provide services for addressing
barriers.
Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act Amendments of
2002 (S. 2052), introduced by Senator Jay Rockefeller (D-WV).
- Maintains current work requirements and block grant funding; expands access
to education and training; rewards states that reduce child poverty.
- Provides grants to states to establish advisory review panels to improve
policies and procedures for assisting individuals with barriers.
- Requires states to outline in their state plan how they intend "to ensure a
professional workforce with the resources, skills, and expertise necessary to
successfully carry out the program" and requires the General Accounting Office
(GAO) to conduct a survey and evaluation of state activities on workforce
development. The GAO study must examine staff qualifications, education,
training, turnover, and caseload size.
NASW's National Coalition Partners
TANF Workforce Coalition (NASW, Chair); Coalition on Human Needs (TANF
Coordinating Committee); Poverty Reduction Working Group; Consortium for
Citizens with Disabilities (TANF Task Force); Leadership Council on Civil Rights
(Welfare Task Force); Welfare Advocates; Building Opportunities Beyond (BOB)
Welfare.
NASW's Grassroots Partners
National Campaign for Jobs and Income Support; Welfare Made a Difference
Campaign; Grassroots Organizing for Welfare Leadership (GROWL).
COMING SOON: NASW's NEW WELFARE REAUTHORIZATION WEBPAGE.
AS ALWAYS, THANKS FOR YOUR ADVOCACY!
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