March 19,2003 - Child Support Bill in Senate

Senator Olympia Snowe (R-MA) introduced the Child Support Distribution Act of 2003 (S. 669), which seeks to provide more child support money to families leaving welfare, simplify the rules governing the assignment and distribution of child support collected by the state on behalf of children, and improve child support collection.

March 25, 2003 - Child Care Budget Resolutions Defeated in Senate

Senator Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) introduced an Amendment (S. Amdt. 417) on the Budget Resolution (S. Con. Res. 23) to increase child care spending by $4.6 billion over five years and $9.1 billion over ten years, by reducing the Bush proposed tax cut. It was defeated 49-50. Senators Hatch and Bennett voted against it. Senator Hatch hopes to increase child care funding in the Senate Finance Committee to at least cover increased hours of participation and a small increase for quality, as he did last year.

March 26, 2003 - Child Welfare Passes House

The House approved H.R. 14, the Keeping Children and Families Safe Act of 2003, including slight increases in funding for the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA), by a voice vote.

April 3, 2003 - Welfare Reform - Senate Bill to Fund Job Training and Advancement for Welfare Recipients

Senate Finance Committee members Senators Jeff Bingaman (D-NM), Jay Rockefeller (D-WV), and John Breaux (D-LA) introduced the Business Links Act of 2003 (S. 786). The bill would provide $1 billion over five years to develop two proven programs for welfare recipients and other low-income adults and youth: Transitional Jobs Programs for people who face significant barriers to work, and Business-Link training programs for low-skilled workers to advance through employer-based training. The Senate Finance Committee will consider the bill as part of welfare reauthorization.

April 9, 2003 - CARE Act Compromise Passes Senate

Senate Sponsors Rick Santorum (R-PA) and Joe Lieberman (D-CN) of the CARE Act (S. 256) removed a controversial equal treatment provision, which allowed the faith-based legislation to move through the Senate. It includes $1.375 billion in new funds for the Social Services Block Grant (SSBG) and passed 95-5.

April 12? Budget Resolution Passes but Details Unavailable

The House and Senate worked late into the weekend before their Easter Recess and passed a budget resolution with some important gains in the Senate version, but specifics are not yet available.

NOTE:  A summary of the FY 2004 Budget Resolution and FY 2003 Supplementals prepared by the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) was brought to the meeting by Robin Arnold-Williams and distributed. Here is a link to it: NCSL Summary

Week of April 28 - WIA Reauthorization Up for House Vote

After Easter the Full House is expected to vote on H.R. 1261, Workforce Reinvestment and  Adult Education Act of 2003, likely in the week of April 28. The House Committee on Education and the Workforce marked-up the bill on March 27. UREAP submitted a comment to that Committee prior to mark-up and is preparing communications on the bill for Utah's Representatives.

Senate Finance Staff Working on TANF/PRWORA Reauthorization

The final hearing on TANF Reauthorization was held in April. Staff is meeting to craft legislation for the Finance Committee.

Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee Staff is working on WIA Reauthorization

The Department of Labor is working with unknown committee members to introduce a slightly revised version of HR 1261 in the HELP Committee. Whether there will be a bipartisan effort is not known at this time.