Action
Needed: Urge Your Senators To Oppose TANF
Extension With Policy Changes
September 22, 2004
BACKGROUND
The current extension of the
TANF program (the seventh) is due to expire on September 30,
2004. According to congressional sources, Senators Rick Santorum
(R-PA) and Evan Bayh (D-IN) plan to introduce an extension
bill this week that includes two policy changes. Senators Santorum
and Bayh apparently have reached a bipartisan agreement to
include marriage promotion and fatherhood programs in the bill. Although details are scarce, we believe their proposal would
extend funding for the TANF block grant for only six months,
but would fund the marriage promotion and fatherhood programs
for two years--$200 million for marriage promotion and $75
million for fatherhood programs.
Clearly, this is an effort to lock-in funding for programs
that divert limited resources toward unproven strategies, rather
than meet concrete, immediate needs like increased funding
for quality child care to enable mothers to work and education
and training to help them move beyond low-wage, dead-end jobs.
ACTION NEEDED
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 Senators' contact information) and urge them to:
1) Oppose any short-term TANF extension that includes policy
changes. The extension of TANF must be longer than six months
to give the Senate time to debate policy changes. 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.
AS ALWAYS, THANKS FOR YOUR ADVOCACY!
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