Washington Roundup January 17, 2003
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Senate Democrats Introduce Two Bills That Would Authorize Additional Resources for Drug and Alcohol Prevention, Education, and Treatment

This week, the Senate Democratic Caucus, led by Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle (D-SD), introduced legislation that would authorize additional resources for drug and alcohol education, prevention and treatment programs.

The first bill introduced was S. 8, “The Educational Excellence for All Learners Act of 2003,” which was referred to the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee.  This bill would fully fund education reform, as called for in the “No Child Left Behind Act,” and would increase the resources dedicated to making schools safe and drug-free by increasing authorized funding for the Safe and Drug Free Schools and Communities Program.  Authorized funding for the Safe and Drug Free Schools and Communities Program would increase by $50 million to $700 million in FY 2004.  In later years, the bill would specify no specific funding level limits for the program.                                                                                                             

The second bill introduced was S. 22, “The Justice Enhancement and Domestic Security Act of 2003,” which was referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee.  Title V of the bill, entitled “Combating Drug and Violence Prevention,” would combat drug and gun violence by providing funding for drug treatment and prevention programs.  The expansion of treatment and prevention programs would include:

•                     $50 million for treatment programs in rural States and economically depressed communities that have high rates of drug addiction but lack the resources to provide adequate treatment.

•                     $10 million for providing residential treatment for drug addicted women with minor children and specialized treatment for drug-addicted mothers that would allow the minor children to reside with them in the facility or nearby while treatment is ongoing.

•                     $75-$95 million for Grants to States or local prosecutors for the purpose of developing, implementing, or expanding drug treatment alternative to prison programs.

•                     Reauthorization of funding for alcohol and drug treatment in federal prisons at the levels of $31 million in FY 2003 and $38 million in FY 2004.

•                     Such sums as may be necessary for FY’s 2003 through 2005, and $300 million in FY’s 2006 and 2007 from the Violent Crime Reduction Trust Fund, for providing residential and outpatient drug and alcohol treatment programs for juveniles.

•                     $5 million for FY’s 2003 through 2005 for the Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities Program to increase its authorized funding level to $655 million.

•                     Grants for “Say No to Drugs” Community Centers which would provide drug prevention, education, counseling, treatment and academic tutoring and mentoring during after school hours and summer vacations.

•                     Such sums as may be necessary for drug education and prevention programs relating to youth gangs and runaway and homeless youth.  

President Announces Administration’s TANF (Welfare) Reauthorization Proposal: Recommendations Include Counting Drug Treatment as Work

President Bush announced his proposal for reauthorization of the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Program (TANF) this week.  Created in 1996, TANF is the welfare block grant to States that imposes a five-year lifetime limit on benefits, work requirements for welfare recipients, and sanctions for those who do not comply, including a loss of benefits. 

The President’s plan explicitly recognizes that addiction can be a barrier to employment and that welfare recipients with alcohol and drug problems need treatment to succeed.  Under the Administration’s reauthorization proposal, up to three consecutive months of treatment (in any 24 months of receipt of TANF) would count as work for recipients.  In addition, States would be able to count individuals in treatment toward their required work participation rates, which they cannot do under current law.

The President’s proposal would also:

•                     Maintain the TANF program’s current level of funding of $16.6 billion per year through Fiscal Year (FY) 2007.

•                     Re-establish the $2 billion “contingency fund” to provide additional funds to States with high and increasing unemployment and make it easier for States to reserve “rainy day funds” and use them for supportive services.

•                     Clarify that the definition of “assistance” does not include child care and work support services so that families receiving these services do not fall under TANF’s work requirements and time limits.

•                     Increase State work participation requirements.  States would be required to increase the percent of welfare recipients participating in work activities from 50 percent in FY 2003 to 70 percent in FY 2007.

•                     Authorize a waiver authority that would allow federal and state executive branch agencies to override various legal, eligibility, and funding requirements for a range of federal low-income, housing, social services, and work preparation and training programs.

Congress has not taken any action on this issue.  Presently, the TANF Block Grant and related programming is only authorized and funded through March 2003, therefore some legislative action on TANF reauthorization is expected during the next several weeks. 

Senate Considers FY 2003 Omnibus Appropriations Bill:

Final Senate Bill Expected Next Week

This week, the full Senate began consideration of an FY 2003 omnibus appropriations bill, changing Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Ted Stevens’ (R-AK) original plan to review the bill in committee this week.  Consideration of the bill is expected to stretch into next week, delaying the Senate’s planned Martin Luther King Day recess. 

Once the Senate completes its consideration of the bill, which incorporates all 11 of the 13 appropriations bills that remain unfinished for fiscal year 2003, the FY 2003 omnibus appropriations bill will be sent over to the House for a conference (negotiation process) to establish final FY 2003 funding levels.  Action to establish final funding levels could occur by the end of January, when the current resolution providing funding for government programs is due to expire.