Government Relations Action Alert

Call to Urge Your Representative to Vote “NO” on H.R. 4700

The President's Version of Welfare Reauthorization!

THE ISSUE AT HAND

Congress is moving quickly to reauthorize the 1996 Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA), P.L. 104-193. On April 9, Representative Wally Herger (R-CA) introduced the Personal Responsibility, Work, and Family Promotion Act of 2002. This legislation encompasses the majority of the President’s plan for Welfare Reauthorization. On May 2, 2002, the bill was voted out of the Ways and Means Committee and is expected to be brought to the floor of the House of Representatives for a full vote on Wednesday, May 15.

H.R. 4700 fails to address NASW’s policy priorities, which include reducing poverty, addressing barriers to self-sufficiency and creating a stable and professional workforce. Rather than improving current law the bill would actually make the program worse.

ACTION NEEDED

Please CALL your Member of Congress TODAY and urge him/her to vote “NO” on H.R. 4700. All members can be reached through the Capitol Switchboard at (202) 225-3121. Individual office numbers are available through the House Web site at www.house.gov. If you are not sure who your Representative is, the House switchboard can determine your Representative by your zip code or you can enter your zip code on NASW's Congress Web at www.socialworkers.org/advocacy/grassroots/congressweb.asp.

Making a phone call to oppose H.R. 4700 is the most effective grassroots tool at this time; however, you can visit NASW's web site and send an e-mail on this issue to your Representative through Congress Web.

Take Action Now!

What is Congress Web?

SAMPLE PHONE MESSAGE

I am a constituent, professional social worker and member of the National Association of Social Workers calling from (city of residence) to urge Representative (last name) to oppose H.R. 4700. The bill represents a major step backward in welfare policy. H.R. 4700 would:

• force (your state) 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.

As a social worker I believe that Representative (last name) should instead support a proposal that:

• rewards states for increasing access to education and training,
• provides services and supports for families addressing barriers, such as mental disorders, substance abuse, and domestic violence, and
• invests in creating a more stable and professional welfare workforce.

Thank you!