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AP
Feb 10, 1995, 5:10:11 PM2/10/95
to
WASHINGTON (AP) -- In a concession to one of Washington's most
powerful lobbies, Republicans have quietly shelved plans to disband
nutrition programs for the elderly and end the guarantee to cash
welfare for the poorest seniors.
According to House Republicans, senior citizens will not be
targeted in the GOP's legislation to reform the nation's welfare
system, as lawmakers first proposed.
``Senior citizens can rest and relax and not get excited. We
haven't included them in our discussions or in any legislation at
this point,'' said Rep. William F. Goodling, chairman of the
Economic and Educational Opportunities Committee, which is writing
a piece of the welfare reform bill.
Democrats, meanwhile, stepped up their attacks on the Republican
legislation, saying its work requirements for single mothers on
welfare were far too weak and its hard-line positions would lead to
starving babies and homeless families.
House Minority Leader Dick Gephardt, D-Mo., said that, for the
Republicans, ``welfare reform is just a way of passing the buck,
kicking people off the welfare rolls, and leaving innocent children
out in the street.''
But Democrats, in the minority for the first time in 40 years,
have not united behind a counterproposal as the House Ways and
Means subcommittee on human resources begins writing its bill next
week.
The GOP legislation would deny cash benefits to single mothers
under the age of 18, kick families off welfare after five years,
and turn nearly 50 social programs over to the states in three
block grants, including Aid to Families with Dependent Children.
Rep. George Miller, D-Calif., said the GOP plan, which requires
just 2 percent of the nearly 5 million adults on AFDC to be
enrolled in a work program in 1996, ``offers only a token nod
towards work.''
In the face of lobbying from advocates for the elderly, however,
the GOP has retreated from its plans to disband nutrition programs
that provide hot meals to frail, aged Americans in their homes and
at senior centers.
Under the GOP's original bill, spending on those programs would
have been combined with food stamps, school lunches, and other
nutrition assistance into a lump sum and returned to the states in
a block grant.
The details of running these programs would be left to the
states and overall spending would be cut.
The GOP is also dropping its original call for ending the
guarantee to cash benefits for low-income seniors and the disabled
who receive Supplemental Security Income, which provides a maximum
monthly check of $458.
As an entitlement, SSI is now available to anyone who meets the
eligibility requirements and has grown to reflect increases in
need.
Goodling, R-Pa., said Congress would address senior nutrition
programs when it takes up the Older Americans Act later this year.
The elderly nutrition programs provided nearly 230 million hot
meals to more than 3 million people in 1993, according to the
Department of Health and Human Services, and there are waiting
lists of frail seniors who want a meal delivered to their door.
Rep. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., said the decision to drop the senior
programs from welfare reform ``sends a strong message that frail,
vulnerable seniors are not going to get clobbered through arbitrary
block grants.''
Marty Corry, director of federal affairs for the American
Association of Retired Persons, said the needs of senior citizens
could have been overlooked in a large nutrition block grant with
limited spending.
``For many of these folks, this is the only social contact they
have,'' Corry said. ``If you take this away, they remain prisoners
in their homes, they don't come out.''
Corry said those who receive home-delivered meals are often
single, frail, elderly women in their 80s.
``They are afraid to go out. Unless someone brings a meal to
them, they don't get a hot meal,'' he said.
powerful lobbies, Republicans have quietly shelved plans to disband
nutrition programs for the elderly and end the guarantee to cash
welfare for the poorest seniors.
According to House Republicans, senior citizens will not be
targeted in the GOP's legislation to reform the nation's welfare
system, as lawmakers first proposed.
``Senior citizens can rest and relax and not get excited. We
haven't included them in our discussions or in any legislation at
this point,'' said Rep. William F. Goodling, chairman of the
Economic and Educational Opportunities Committee, which is writing
a piece of the welfare reform bill.
Democrats, meanwhile, stepped up their attacks on the Republican
legislation, saying its work requirements for single mothers on
welfare were far too weak and its hard-line positions would lead to
starving babies and homeless families.
House Minority Leader Dick Gephardt, D-Mo., said that, for the
Republicans, ``welfare reform is just a way of passing the buck,
kicking people off the welfare rolls, and leaving innocent children
out in the street.''
But Democrats, in the minority for the first time in 40 years,
have not united behind a counterproposal as the House Ways and
Means subcommittee on human resources begins writing its bill next
week.
The GOP legislation would deny cash benefits to single mothers
under the age of 18, kick families off welfare after five years,
and turn nearly 50 social programs over to the states in three
block grants, including Aid to Families with Dependent Children.
Rep. George Miller, D-Calif., said the GOP plan, which requires
just 2 percent of the nearly 5 million adults on AFDC to be
enrolled in a work program in 1996, ``offers only a token nod
towards work.''
In the face of lobbying from advocates for the elderly, however,
the GOP has retreated from its plans to disband nutrition programs
that provide hot meals to frail, aged Americans in their homes and
at senior centers.
Under the GOP's original bill, spending on those programs would
have been combined with food stamps, school lunches, and other
nutrition assistance into a lump sum and returned to the states in
a block grant.
The details of running these programs would be left to the
states and overall spending would be cut.
The GOP is also dropping its original call for ending the
guarantee to cash benefits for low-income seniors and the disabled
who receive Supplemental Security Income, which provides a maximum
monthly check of $458.
As an entitlement, SSI is now available to anyone who meets the
eligibility requirements and has grown to reflect increases in
need.
Goodling, R-Pa., said Congress would address senior nutrition
programs when it takes up the Older Americans Act later this year.
The elderly nutrition programs provided nearly 230 million hot
meals to more than 3 million people in 1993, according to the
Department of Health and Human Services, and there are waiting
lists of frail seniors who want a meal delivered to their door.
Rep. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., said the decision to drop the senior
programs from welfare reform ``sends a strong message that frail,
vulnerable seniors are not going to get clobbered through arbitrary
block grants.''
Marty Corry, director of federal affairs for the American
Association of Retired Persons, said the needs of senior citizens
could have been overlooked in a large nutrition block grant with
limited spending.
``For many of these folks, this is the only social contact they
have,'' Corry said. ``If you take this away, they remain prisoners
in their homes, they don't come out.''
Corry said those who receive home-delivered meals are often
single, frail, elderly women in their 80s.
``They are afraid to go out. Unless someone brings a meal to
them, they don't get a hot meal,'' he said.
AP
Feb 11, 1995, 12:30:12 AM2/11/95
to
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Republicans are backing away from plans to cut
cash benefits to poor senior citizens and scrap programs that
deliver hot meals to the frailest elderly Americans.
The elderly will not be targeted in GOP legislation to revamp
the nation's welfare system, as first planned, lawmakers said
Friday.
``Senior citizens can rest and relax and not get excited. We
haven't included them in our discussions or in any legislation at
this point,'' said Rep. William F. Goodling, R-Pa., chairman of the
House Economic and Educational Opportunities Committee. His panel
is writing part of the welfare reform bill.
Democrats, meanwhile, stepped up their attacks on the Republican
legislation, saying that its work requirements for single mothers
on welfare were far too weak and its hard-line positions would lead
to starving babies and homeless families.
House Minority Leader Dick Gephardt, D-Mo., said Republicans
have no interest in truly reforming welfare to help people find
jobs. Instead, he contended, they are just ``trying to slash the
budget to pay for a capital gains tax cut for wealthy investors and
a Star Wars defense disaster that does nothing for struggling
families.''
But Democrats, in the House minority for the first time in 40
years, have not united behind a counterproposal as the House Ways
and Means subcommittee on human resources begins writing its bill
Monday.
The GOP legislation would deny cash benefits to single mothers
under age 18, kick families off welfare after five years and
transfer nearly 50 social programs, including Aid to Families with
Dependent Children, to the states in three block grants.
Rep. George Miller, D-Calif., said the GOP plan, which requires
only 2 percent of the nearly 5 million adults on AFDC to be
enrolled in a work program in 1996, ``offers only a token nod
towards work.''
In the face of lobbying from advocates for the elderly, however,
the Republicans retreated from plans to disband nutrition programs
that provide hot meals to frail Americans in their homes and at
senior centers.
Under the GOP's original bill, spending on those programs would
have been combined with food stamps, school lunches and other
nutrition assistance into a lump sum and returned to the states in
a block grant.
The details of running these programs would be left to the
states and overall spending would be cut.
Republicans also dropped a proposal to end the guarantee to cash
benefits for low-income senior citizens and the disabled who
receive Supplemental Security Income, which provides a maximum
monthly check of $458.
As an entitlement, SSI now is available to anyone who meets the
eligibility requirements.
Goodling said Congress would address senior nutrition programs
when it takes up the Older Americans Act later this year.
The elderly nutrition programs provided nearly 230 million hot
meals to more than 3 million people in 1993, according to the
Department of Health and Human Services, and there are waiting
lists of frail elderly people who want a meal delivered to their
door.
Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-Ore., said that while he is thrilled that
Republicans have ``ended their assault on the elderly nutrition
programs, I only wish our nation's children had the same powerful
lobbyists to protect them.''
cash benefits to poor senior citizens and scrap programs that
deliver hot meals to the frailest elderly Americans.
The elderly will not be targeted in GOP legislation to revamp
the nation's welfare system, as first planned, lawmakers said
Friday.
``Senior citizens can rest and relax and not get excited. We
haven't included them in our discussions or in any legislation at
House Economic and Educational Opportunities Committee. His panel
is writing part of the welfare reform bill.
Democrats, meanwhile, stepped up their attacks on the Republican
on welfare were far too weak and its hard-line positions would lead
to starving babies and homeless families.
have no interest in truly reforming welfare to help people find
jobs. Instead, he contended, they are just ``trying to slash the
budget to pay for a capital gains tax cut for wealthy investors and
a Star Wars defense disaster that does nothing for struggling
families.''
But Democrats, in the House minority for the first time in 40
years, have not united behind a counterproposal as the House Ways
and Means subcommittee on human resources begins writing its bill
The GOP legislation would deny cash benefits to single mothers
transfer nearly 50 social programs, including Aid to Families with
Dependent Children, to the states in three block grants.
Rep. George Miller, D-Calif., said the GOP plan, which requires
enrolled in a work program in 1996, ``offers only a token nod
towards work.''
In the face of lobbying from advocates for the elderly, however,
that provide hot meals to frail Americans in their homes and at
senior centers.
Under the GOP's original bill, spending on those programs would
nutrition assistance into a lump sum and returned to the states in
a block grant.
The details of running these programs would be left to the
states and overall spending would be cut.
benefits for low-income senior citizens and the disabled who
receive Supplemental Security Income, which provides a maximum
monthly check of $458.
eligibility requirements.
Goodling said Congress would address senior nutrition programs
when it takes up the Older Americans Act later this year.
The elderly nutrition programs provided nearly 230 million hot
meals to more than 3 million people in 1993, according to the
Department of Health and Human Services, and there are waiting
door.
Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-Ore., said that while he is thrilled that
Republicans have ``ended their assault on the elderly nutrition
programs, I only wish our nation's children had the same powerful
lobbyists to protect them.''
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