Date: 1988-07-28
Speaker: DE LA GARZA (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Chairman. the amendments offered en bloc are two dealing with seasonal and/or migrant workers. The amendments would first provide a waiver on housing so that those migrant workers or seasonal workers who are suffering because of the drought may be assisted under the expedited service process. What happens is that if the workers are out in Indiana or Ohio in the migrant stream and someone offers them housing. our amendments would stipulate that that housing would not be counted as Income in order to receive food stamps which they would otherwise qualify for under expedited services. which means that they could receive the food stamps immediately. The other food stamp amendment is consistent with the first. Under the present law a workers allotment of food stamps is prorated for the balance of the month. 10 days or 15 days. We stipulate that the food stamps not be prorated. but rather that the full allotment for that month be given to the persons in need. The next amendment is one to correct an amendment offered by the distinguished gentleman from Alabama because we found out that the cost would be excessive. The original amendment was not intended to have the excessive cost. This amendment would bring the bill under the spending level which we are workIng with. The other amendment would bring the total bill in line with the information we received today from OMB and reduce the outlay from $6.9 billion to $5.8 billion so that we may lower the cost of the bill. That is the thrust of the amendments. Mr. Chairman. this amendment would exclude from income for food stamp purposes emergency housing assistance paid to a third party on behalf of a migrant or seasonal farmworker household. I am advised that in a number of States this assistance is not tied to any special amount earmarked for shelter. and when granted. it is included as income which: First. disqualifies many migrant households from expedited service. and second. more importantly. greatly reduces the amount of food stamp benefits. This assistance in the form of a vendor payment is not cash in hand to the migrant worker. He has no discretion over its use. While housing is obviously important to the farmworker household. the need for adequate food is paramount for him and his family. It is important that during this period when many migrant and seasonal famworkers have arrived in a State where because of the drought there is no immediate job or less work than anticipated that he is able to take care of his and his familys food needs with as much assistance as possible from the Food Stamp Program. I want to make clear that this amendment is applicable only to emergency assistance for housing for migrant or seasonal farmworkers while in the job stream. It does not affect vendor payments for gas or auto repair to get the migrant back home or to another area of employment. I understand that such payments are not a part of normal emergency grants and that they would be excluded from income in accordance with Current regulations (273.9(c)(1)(iv)(B)). The Congressional Budget Office advises that this amendment has no significant cost (less than $500.000). I urge my colleagues to give their favorable approval to this amendment. This amendment. which is cosponsored by Chairman LEON PANETTA of the Domestic Marketing. Consumer Relations and Nutrition Subcommittee. would prohibit prorating firstmonth benefits for migrant and seasonal farmworkers when they are being recertified for food stamps. as long as they meet recertification requirements within the 30 days after their prior certification period ends. Food stamp households sometimes experience a temporary interruption in benefits when they cannot complete recertification requirements before the end of their certification periods. Such interruptions can be caused by numerous reasons such as loss of docu ments by the Postal Service. lack of the appropriate documents at the appropriate times. State agency error. or movement from one food stamp project to another. Under current law. regardless of the cause for the delayed reapplication process. the households benefits are prorated from the date of reapplication. This amendment would disallow prorating for eligible migrant and seasonal farmworker households who participated in the Food Stamp Program in the previous 30 days and allow them to receive a full months benefits in the month they reapply. This amendment was approved by the Committee on Agriculture during consideration of H.R. 4060. the Emergency Hunger Relief Act of 1988. ttowever. due to the serious impact on employment caused by the drought. it is imperative that this amendment be enacted promptly. The Congressional Budget Office does not score a cost to this provision. I urge my colleagues to assist our migrant and seasonal work force through adoption of this amendment.