Join us in asking Congress to suspend time limits in the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) program as part of the economic stimulus legislation currently under consideration. Cutting families off TANF, the national assistance program for impoverished families with children, at a time of high and rising unemployment violates fundamental social justice and human rights principles and will further strain other safety net resources already taxed to the breaking point (including homeless shelters and soup kitchens).
Congress rightly recognizes that jobless workers need the safeguard of extended unemployment insurance benefits. So too, do TANF recipients at risk of losing their benefits at this tenuous economic moment, need to continue to receive these benefits.
In difficult economic times, the poor are often hit the hardest, and this will be especially true without increased funding for education and job training. In fact, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, food stamp caseloads have increased dramatically in recent months. The Center also projects that the number of poor children could increase by between 2.6 and 3.3 million as a result of the recession.
Write to your senators and representative urging them to remember the most impoverished families in the economic stimulus package by suspending the time limit on eligibility for TANF benefits for at least two years or until the economy has fully recovered.
Time is of the essence. Congress will be acting very shortly on the economic stimulus package. Act now by submitting an e-mail to your legislators.
CLICK HERE TO WRITE TO CONGRESS
Thank you for your support.
Sincerely,
Irasema Garza
President
Founded in 1970 as the NOW Legal Defense and Education Fund, Legal Momentum is the nation's oldest legal advocacy organization dedicated to advancing the rights of women and girls.
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