Poverty Reduction Working Group Statement of
Principles
The Poverty Reduction
Working Group (PRWG) is a loose coalition of CHN member
organizations working together to influence federal welfare
policy. Convened by the Coalition, the National Council of La
Raza, and the Center for Community Change, the PRWG conducts
weekly visits with key congressional staff and hosts monthly
strategy sessions to discuss the best ways to influence the
welfare debate on Capitol Hill. The following is the PRWG's
Statement of Principles for welfare reauthorization: |
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By June 30, 2003, Congress
must reauthorize the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families
(TANF) Block Grant. TANF programs are instrumental in helping
millions of low-income parents by providing work support
services and income supplements during their time of need.
Congress has the invaluable opportunity to
significantly improve our nation’s safety net by helping
low-income families move out of poverty, not simply off of
welfare. TANF must be designed as a significant part of a
comprehensive system of work supports, including health
insurance, quality childcare, tax credits, and transportation
and housing assistance. The Poverty Reduction Working Group
believes that any legislation successfully reauthorizing TANF
must stem from the principles outlined below.
First
and foremost, the primary goal of TANF must be poverty
reduction, not caseload reduction. To that end, we believe
that:
- Access to benefits must be granted to all families in
need.
- eligibility for benefits should be restored to legal
immigrants;
- all families, including low-wage workers and two-parent
families, should have the right to apply for TANF, and
people must be adequately informed of all services for which
they are eligible;
- support services must be strengthened to address the
unmet needs of families that cope with significant barriers,
such as domestic violence, physical disability, lack of
adequate housing, mental illness, and/or substance abuse;
Punitive measures that harm families must
be replaced with measures that help families move out of
poverty.
- families must be protected from arbitrary and unjust
sanctions;
- the federal time limit clock should stop, or exemptions
be granted, for families who “play by the rules,” are in
compliance with work requirements, or who are caring for
young, sick, or disabled children or disabled relatives;
- TANF programs must treat all families in need with
respect and dignity, and must not discriminate based on
race, marital status, gender, immigration status, employment
status, language, ability, age, or sexual orientation;
TANF programs must be accountable to the
families they are intended to serve.
- families on welfare must be protected from private
companies that place profits over people by misusing federal
funds that are intended to serve people in need;
- administrators of TANF programs must be held accountable
for the proper management of resources and delivery of
services and benefits to families in need;
- states must be required to provide policymakers
and the public with accurate information about how TANF
funds are being used and how welfare leavers are faring;
To successfully promote “work” as a path
out of poverty, TANF must be designed around the realities of
the low-wage labor market.
- all low-wage workers, including those who participate in
TANF-funded employment programs, should receive a
combination of decent wages and work supports, such as food
stamps, child care assistance, and housing assistance to
lift them out of poverty;
- because education and training lead to higher wages,
TANF must encourage and support education and training as
viable ways for low-income families to move out of
poverty;
- in an economic downturn, some job seekers will be unable
to find employment. When parents who have exhausted TANF
benefits are willing and able to work, but no job is
available, the appropriate governing body should either
provide them with temporary employment or continue to
provide assistance.
Given the vital role
that TANF dollars have in ensuring the necessary changes
outlined above, funding levels for TANF must be maintained or
increased and automatically adjusted for
inflation.
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