Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-04-02
House Economy Ak Peri|s
DC. Public Aid Workers
Loss Of $4,000
Or More in u. S.
Funds Impends
BY MIRIAM GUTENBERG

payless paydays or layoffs for
social workers trying to help
welfare recipients to get along
on relief grants or ultimately
become self-supporting.
District officials estimated the
Threatened loss of Federal funds
TO the city at $4,000 before the
end Of this fiscal year and more
than $4,000 during the next
year.
Federal officials said State
public welfare administrators
have told them if the proposed
measure goes through they may
have to lay off or hold up paw
for workers administering public
assistance programs.
To District Welfare Director
Gerard M. Shea what is han.
pening to Federal matching pro-
grams at the hands of budget
minded Congress is Just one
more headache at a time when a
Senate District subcommittee is
looking into the welfare program
and the Districts one-month
emergency plan to provide food
orders to virtually all corners has
stepped up the regular applica.
lions for public assistance.
sO2 Ask Aid in One Day
Mr.. Shea reported that yes
terday alone, 302 persons made
regular applications to 60 on
public assistance rolls. This
contrasts with the usual average
OF 200 month. The under.
manned welfare staff had been
taking up to two months to in
vestigate and process welfare APP
pllcations before the new load
landed on public assistance.
The congressional action which
has State welfare administrators
up in arms combines budget
cutting and a ceiling not pre-
viously placed on the Bureau of
Public Assistance of the Social
Security Administration.
AS explained by Jay L. Roney.
director of the Bureau of Public
Assistance. the trouble began
with the usual request for a de-
hciency appropriation for this
year.
/ BY law the Federal Govern
lment matches administrative
costs Of State welfare programs
the payments of salaries. travel
expenses-on a $3.50 basis. The
matching payments for the
grants themselves are provided
under a formula set by Congress
which amounts to about 81 per
cent paid by the Federal Gov.
eminent.
No Ceiling Set Previously
Outside of specifying what
percentage should be paid by
the Federal Government. Con-
gress has not previously set a
ceiling. This was on the theory
that State ,agiS. atuYes rev .ewed
welfare administrative costs and
would not be oyergenerous on
their end of the expenses.
t Last year Congress increased
the percentage to be paid by the
Federal Government so a def
cheney was sought on the addi-
tlonal money. The House. fol.
lowing its Appropriations Com
mittee. set a ceiling on the
amount that could be paid out
for administrative costs. The
Senate refused to go along with
that idea because it would make
1T impossible for the Federal
Government to carry out its so.
so promise to the States. The
deficiency bill is now in confer
ence.
When the 1858 appropriation
bill for the Department of
Health. Education and Welfare
reached the House floor. the
ceiling was again in effect, along
with an overall cut in grants to
States for public assistance of
SIS. 100000. The bill is still being
debated on the House floor.
The committee. in its report.
said 1t was convinced that If
HEW properly co-ordinates all
It's programs and actively works
with the States in attempting
to reduce public assistance rolls
wherever feasible. the SIG mil
lion provided in the bill will be
adequate. Welfare administra-
tors contend that it takes case
workers for rehabilitation of re-
lief recipients.
States Decide Rolls
So far. no ceiling has been
placed On relief grants them
selves MIR. Roney pointed out
that the Federal Government
does not control how many peo-
pie go on public assistance since
that is UP to the States to
decide. But the Federal Govern
ment also does not control how
many workers administer the
State programs. He said he had
already been advised by the
States that their estimates of
staff. made a year ago. were
low.
He estimated that II the House
wins the conference debate over
the limitation set on admins
trative costs in the deficiency
bill. the Federal Government
would be unable to maintain its
$3.50 agreement with the States
II the cut is spread over the last
quarter OF this fiscal year. he
said. 1t would amount to Is per
cent of the Federal payment. II
the bill comes out Of Congress
only In time to apply TO the
last two months. he said II would
amount to a 30 per cent cut and
II II is only TO apply for the last
month, IL would he n IN nor