Hold Congress accountable

In session
November 2002

Bishops disappointed with 2003 refugee policy
Hold Congress accountable says Catholic lobby group

Hold Congress accountable says Catholic lobby group
Congress has recessed to hit the campaign trail until November 12th. According to legislative analysts at Network, a Catholic lobby, "They leave Washington with a dreary two-year session behind them that came to a virtual standstill in terms of getting things done."

The 107th Congress, the most closely divided in history, says Network, will return for a lame duck session to attempt to resolve some of the impasses: on the budget, having completed just 2 of the 13 appropriations bills; homeland security; TANF reauthorization; health care issues of prescription drugs, reimbursements for hospitals and Medicare providers; and affordable housing.

During the weeks leading up the election, members of Congress and candidates will be in their districts and states campaigning. Network suggests that constituents attend local campaign events. This is an important opportunity to question and hold members of Congress accountable for what has or has not happened in this session, to give input on the business yet to be completed and also use their records as a criteria for your own voting.

NETWORK suggests the following:

On war with Iraq
As a voter, make it clear that voting for the peaceful and diplomatic prevention of war is a political advantage and not a liability.

Find out how Representatives and Senators voted on the resolution to use force against Iraq.

If your Representative voted in favor of the use of force, ask why he/she voted for a unilateral, preemptive war against Iraq when the Administration still has not answered many troubling questions about potential consequences. Ask how many letters and calls they received from constituents opposing the war, and how they plan to address those concerns.

Budget
Congress has been unable to complete a budget for FY 03. Current budget proposals call for reductions in all domestic programs but boost defense by $37.5 billion. The FY 02 surplus of $127 billion is now a $157 billion deficit. Poverty has increased and income inequality is at one of its highest levels ever. Yet Congress plans to sacrifice programs for lower- and middle-income families while maintaining tax cuts for the most affluent members of society.

What are the Representative's (candidate's) proposals for prioritizing needs, funding vital programs and freezing the next round of the tax cuts?

TANF Reauthorization
Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), the primary safety-net program assisting low-income families, was scheduled for reauthorization this year. NETWORK and others have lobbied for improvements in the program, but Congress has been unable to pass legislation. Now there are proposals to extend the current program for one-year. This is inadequate for current needs for child care and other necessary programs to help people become self-sustaining.

Ask the Representative (candidate) for their support to reauthorize TANF for a three year period, making improvements to respond to the needs for child care, education, and benefits for legal immigrants.

Affordable Housing and Wages
Census data from 1999 has shown that nearly five million lower-income families without housing assistance either pay more than half of their income for rent and utilities or live in severely substandard rental housing. The housing affordability problem has worsened as housing costs have increased more than incomes. A full-time minimum wage worker ($5.15 an hour and no increase since 1997) cannot afford fair market rent in any state or locality in the nation.

How can the federal government concretely respond to the affordable housing crisis and wage gap? What is the Representative's (candidate's) position on programs such as the National Affordable Housing Trust Fund, as a practical solution to the shortage of affordable housing? What is the Representative's (candidate's) position on increasing the minimum wage?

Health Care
The number of people without health insurance has climbed to 41.2 million. Premiums for employers, employees and health plans are rising. Due to significant budget shortfalls, states are being forced to cut health benefits to children and those most in need. Protections for HMO patients have languished in Congress, and a prescription drug benefit has not been enacted despite both parties stating support for it.

What is the Member's (candidate's) position on health care for all, patient's rights, and a Medicare prescription drug benefit? What is their position on the Medicare Plus Choice program with which health plans, healthcare providers and beneficiaries are so dissatisfied?

House VA-HUD Appropriations Bill Could Devastate Section 8 Program

Action
Contact your Representative and urge them to communicate with the members of the VA-HUD-IA appropriations committee. Ask that they reject the changes to the Section 8 program funding. You can email your Representative through NETWORK's Legislative Action Center - enter your zip code under the "Elected Officials" headline and choose the message on Section 8.

Background
The VA-HUD-IA Appropriations bill passed by the House Appropriations Committee makes a dramatic and problematic change in how Section 8 voucher renewals to public housing agencies (PHAs) are determined. The sweeping change to the Voucher renewal program would be devastating to the program and will erode housing assistance for families who are low-income and vulnerable. The change is unnecessary as there is pending legislation, sponsored by members of both parties (HR 3995 and S 2721) that deal with needed improvements in the voucher program and would not have the devastating consequences of the VA-HUD bill. Renewal funding would be based on actual utilization from the most recently available financial statements, which are usually two years behind the current funding year. Estimates by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities are that this could result in 127,000 less voucher renewals than the President's budget requested. As voucher utilization has increased over the past few years, it may mean that PHAs will be under-funded and lead to increased tenants rent payments and fewer available vouchers. Over time the voucher program could be decimated even as the well-documented need for more housing assistance increase.

Helpful Information
To contact Congressional offices by phone, call the Capitol Hill Switchboard number at 202-224-3121. The White House Comment line is 202-456-1414 and the Vice President's office is 202-456-2326. More contact and e-mail information for the President and Vice President is available through Network's Legislative Action Center.

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