June 27,2000

Roth, Moynihan et al Win Funds to Protect Low-Income Families

Appropriations Chair Agrees to Restore Funding to Health Programs for Low Income Children and Aid for Low Income Families

WASHINGTON -- Senate Finance Committee Chairman William V. Roth, Jr. (R-DE) today won a promise from Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Ted Stevens (R-AK) that funding for health and aid programs for low income children and families will be protected. The funds had been rescinded by a provision in the Labor, Health and Human Services Appropriations bill. Senators Daniel Patrick Moynihan (D-NY), Orrin Hatch (R-UT), Edward Kennedy (D-MA), Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Bob Graham (D-FL) joined Roth in the fight to restore the funds.

"It is critically important that low-income children and families have access to health and aid programs. I am glad the Appropriations Committee recognized the importance of these programs and will restore their funding," Roth stated.

With this agreement, the following funds will now be restored:

• A $1.9 billion cut in federal spending for the State Children's Health Insurance Program which provides health insurance to lower income children. This cut could have prevented two million children from receiving health insurance;

• A $1.1 billion reduction in Title XX Social Services Block Grant;

• A $240 million funding recision from the Temporary Aid for Needy Families program;

• Elimination of a $50 million performance bonus that rewards states that train and successfully find jobs for the hardest-to-employ welfare recipients.