US Women Connect also cited the difficulty of poor women to get adequate food, education and child care. Simply stated, many Pennsylvanians just do not have the wages to meet their basic needs and put food on the table. The federal food stamp program could help, but nationwide participation has dropped from 25 million people in 1996 to fewer than 18 million in 1999. In Allegheny, Beaver, Butler, Fayette, Washington and Westmoreland counties, the number of food stamp recipients has dropped during that same time by nearly 56,000 people, from 219,241 to 163,281. According to a recent General Accounting Office report, the healthy economy and welfare reform are the two main reasons for the decline in participation.
Welfare reform plays a central role in American women's economic future.
Studies have shown that people with more education and training have higher earnings. But Pennsylvania currently does not allow educational programs to count toward the 20 hours per week that welfare recipients are required to work after they've received cash benefits for 24 months. House Bill 1266, which would count some class and study time toward the work requirement, was passed unanimously by the state House nearly a year ago. It remains stalled in a Senate committee. Space being precious, I single out the article by James E. Hug, S. J., on education for justice a candid, straightforward, courageous challenge to our Jesuit educational enterprise.