August 6,
2003
Support
the Restoration of SSBG Funds! THE ISSUE AT HAND Shortly
after the House of Representatives returns from the August
recess, the House Ways and Means Committee will consider
H.R. 7, the Charitable Giving Act. This bill is very similar
to S. 476, the Senate’s version of President Bush’s Faith-Based
Initiative bill—also known as the CARE Act, which the Senate
passed in early April. While NASW has raised concerns
in the past about certain aspects of the faith-based initiative,
the Association does support the bills’ exclusion of
language that would protect faith-based organizations receiving
federal funds from anti-discrimination hiring laws. In
addition, NASW is supportive of the Senate bill’s inclusion
of $1.375 billion in new funds for the Social Services
Block Grant (SSBG). However, because President Bush
was against the increase included in S. 476, the House
bill does not include this critical funding. For more than five
years, states have been making up more than $1 billion
a year in cuts to SSBG. Due to the budget crisis, they
can no longer make up for the federal cuts, and services
to the most vulnerable individuals will be cut. There
is still an opportunity for SSBG to be included! For
this to happen, Representatives on the Ways and Means
Committee need to hear how important SSBG funding is
to their constituents. SSBG funds assist at-risk adolescents
and young adults, children and families in the child
welfare system, low income working families in need of
child care, persons with disabilities, senior citizens,
and individuals who are addressing substance abuse addictions. ACTION NEEDED Call or e-mail the Representatives listed below and tell
them that, as a constituent and member of NASW, you are requesting
they ask Chairman Thomas to include SSBG funding in H.R.
7, the Charitable Giving Act. To find
the telephone numbers for the Representatives listed below,
please refer to www.house.gov or call the Capitol Switchboard
at (202) 225-3121, and they will connect you. To send
a letter via NASW’s Congress Web, please refer to: https://www.socialworkers.org/advocacy/grassroots/congressweb.asp Republicans Chairman
Thomas (R-CA), Rep. Johnson (R-CT), Rep. Camp (R-MI), Rep.
Ramstad (R-MN), Rep. English (R-PA), Rep. Crane (R-IL),
Rep. Shaw (R-FL), Rep. Houghton (R-NY), Rep. Herger (R-CA),
Rep. McCrery (R-LA), Rep. Nussle (R-IA), Rep. Sam Johnson
(R-TX), Rep. Dunn (R-WA), Rep. Collins (R-GA), Rep. Portman
(R-OH), Rep. Hayworth (R-AZ), Rep. Weller (R-IL), Rep.
Hulshof (R-MO), Rep. McInnis (R-CO), Rep. Ron Lewis (R-KY),
Rep. Foley (R-FL), Rep. Brady (R-TX), Rep. Ryan (R-WI),
Rep. Cantor (R-VA) Democrats Rep.
Rangel (D-NY), Rep. Stark (R-CA), Rep. Matsui (R-CA), Rep.
Levin (R-MI), Rep. Cardin (R-MD), Rep. McDermott (D-WA),
Rep. Kleczka (D-WI), Rep. John Lewis (D-GA), Rep. Neal
(D-MA), Rep. McNulty (D-NY), Rep. Jefferson (D-LA), Rep.
Tanner (D-TN), Rep. Becerra (D-CA), Rep. Doggett (D-TX),
Rep. Pomeroy (D-ND), Rep. Sandlin (D-TX), Rep. Tubbs Jones
(D-OH) If you
make a phone call, please let NASW know at abradford@naswdc.org BACKGROUND The
Social Services Block Grant (SSBG) is a flexible block
grant addressing the needs of children and families, the
elderly, and vulnerable adults. It enables them to avoid
more expensive government assistance by helping them in
their efforts to remain in the community in the most independent
setting possible. As part of the welfare system’s last
reform, Congress and the State Governors agreed to reduce
SSBG funding to $2.38 billion for five years, and to return
it to its former level of $2.8 billion in 2003. Unfortunately,
the funding level was reduced in 1998 and is currently
$1.7 billion per year. The cut in SSBG funding has driven
social-services providers to discontinue services to children,
families, the elderly, and people with disabilities. It
has also forced them to lay off staff and reduce benefits
for vulnerable families. Main
Provisions of H.R. 7:
- Charitable
Deduction for Non-Itemizers: This appears to be the same
as the Senate CARE Act, which allows those who do not
itemize on their tax returns to claim a contribution
for charitable donations between a floor of $250 and
a ceiling of $500.
- Charitable
IRA Distributions: This provision allows tax-free
distributions from IRAs for both direct and split-interest
gifts for
individuals 70½ years or older. (The Senate bill
allowed a lower age limit for deferred gifts.)
- Individual
Development Accounts: Authorizes $25 million per year
for five years¾less
than the amount stipulated in the Senate CARE Act
- Compassion
Capital Fund: Identical to the Senate provision, which
provides $150 million per year to assist small community-
and faith-based organizations with technical assistance,
expanding their capacity to serve
For
more detailed background information on the Senate-passed
CARE Act, please refer to NASW’s update: https://www.socialworkers.org/advocacy/issues/faith.asp You
may also contact Ann Bradford, senior government relations
associate, at 202-336-8237 or abradford@naswdc.org |
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