From: Nigel.Allen@bbs.oit.unc.edu (Nigel Allen)
Subject: Children's Defense Fund Calls on President Bush to Sign Urban Aid/Tax Bill
Organization: NDA
Date: Sun, 11 Oct 1992 05:50:20 GMT


Here is a press release from the Children's Defense Fund.
 Children's Defense Fund Calls on President Bush to Sign Urban
Aid/Tax Bill
 To: National Desk
 Contact: Eileen Sweeney of Children's Defense Fund,
          202-662-3586

   WASHINGTON, Oct. 8 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Children's Defense Fund
President Marian Wright Edelman called on President Bush today to
"do right by America's children and sign the urban aid bill the
Congress just passed."
   She has sent a letter to President Bush urging him to sign the
bill.  In her letter, a copy of which is attached, she states: "If
we truly want to strengthen our communities and our Nation, we must
strengthen our families.  America's children and their families
need this bill now.  America's children and their families need you
to sign this bill and affirm its promise of a better future for
them and the nation."
   This bill includes critically needed reforms on behalf of
abused and neglected children -- reforms to an ailing child
welfare system which has undergone a decade of drastic change
without the help of changes in federal approaches.  The legislative
changes, costing $2.2 billion, will help to strengthen and preserve
families and protect children and ensure quality out-of-home care
and adoption assistance for children whose families can no longer
protect them.  Families are in extreme crisis across the country.
Every 12 seconds an American child is reported abused or neglected.
Child welfare systems are overwhelmed and unable to help.  H.R. 11
provides them with the assistance they need to help our nation's
most vulnerable children and their families.
   In her letter, Edelman identified other important provisions
for children included in the package:
   -- $2.5 billion for social service programs in the 50 enterprise
zones established by the bill, including key programs for children
such as Head Start and maternal and child health, for which the
Congress has already appropriated $500 million for FY 1993.  These
funds are targeted directly at the problems of many of the most
depressed urban and rural areas of this country.  It would be
especially ironic if, after the appropriation has already been
secured, these funds cannot be spent because the authorization
(included in H.R. 11) was vetoed.
   -- $400 million for the AFDC/JOBS program, designed to help
parents receiving welfare for their children and themselves to
achieve independence from welfare programs.  Due to tight fiscal
times, many states have had great difficulty in drawing down the
federal match in this program.  This will greatly facilitate the
expansion of this program to cover more AFDC recipients.
   -- $200 million for demonstrations for community work projects,
which will provide jobs and skills for parents and others very much
in need of employment.
   Following is the text of the letter:


 October 8, 1992

   President George H. Bush
   The White House
   Washington, D.C.

   Dear Mr. President:
   I am writing to implore you to sign H.R. 11, the urban aid/tax
bill.  This bill contains numerous provisions which will improve
life for many of our nation's most needy children and their
families.  If we truly want to strengthen our communities and our
nation, we must strengthen our families.  America's children and
their families need this bill now.  America's children and their
families need you to sign this bill and affirm its promise of a
better future for them and the nation.  H.R. 11 includes:
   -- $2.2 billion over five years for needed program improvements
designed to preserve families and keep children safe and also to
ensure the quality of out-of-home care and adoption assistance for
children who cannot be protected by their parents.  These are the
most significant reforms for children who are abused and neglected
and their families in over a decade.  These children cannot afford
another year to pass without these reforms...a year during which
their needs will intensify and cost us much more in the future.
   -- $2.5 billion over five years for social service programs in
the fifty enterprise zones the bill establishes, including key
programs for children such as Head Start and maternal and child
health.  Congress has already appropriated $500 million for FY 93
-- funds for desperate inner city areas that will not be available
if this bill is not signed.
   -- $400 million over five years for the AFDC/JOBS program,
designed to help parents receiving welfare for their children and
themselves to achieve independence from the welfare programs.
   -- $200 million for demonstrations for community work projects,
which will provide jobs to parents and others very much in need of
employment.
   Mr. President, please sign this bill.

   Sincerely,

   /s/ Marian Wright Edelman
       President
       Children's Defense Fund

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