Opening Statement of the Hon. Benjamin L. Cardin, M.C., Maryland

Hearing on Bush Administration Budget Proposals

July 11, 2001

Mr. Chairman, I am pleased to be here today to consider those portions of the President's budget that are within the jurisdiction of this subcommittee. As I look at the Administration's budget, I see some things I like, some things that concern me, and some things that are missing.

Let me start by commending President Bush for proposing to increase resources for the Promoting Safe and Stable Families Program, which provides funding to prevent child abuse, to restore families, and to promote adoption when appropriate. I believe this panel should act quickly to pass this increase in funding. We have heard considerable testimony that our child welfare system lacks adequate resources for preventive care -- and this proposal takes an important first step in addressing that problem.

During our deliberations on child welfare issues, I hope we also will consider providing additional resources to combat the leading cause of child abuse and neglect - namely, substance abuse by parents. Furthermore, I support quick enactment of the Administration's plan to add funding to the Independent Living Program to provide educational and training assistance to children aging out of the foster care system. This proposal dovetails nicely with legislation enacted last session by this subcommittee to help former foster children achieve self-sufficiency.

I also am pleased that the Administration has a proposal to promote responsible fatherhood, but I was very disappointed that the President's budget failed to highlight the need to improve the distribution of child support.

Last year, this Committee and the entire House overwhelmingly supported a bill sponsored by Mrs. Johnson to ensure more child support actually goes to families. Because such reforms are central to any effort to enhance the relationship between absent fathers and their children, I cannot support moving a fatherhood proposal without these vitally important child support improvements.

On the issue of the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program or TANF, two decisions made by the Administration give me pause about the role it will play in reauthorizing that important program next year. First, the Bush budget fails to extend the TANF supplemental grants, which help many of our poorer States and which expire this year. And second, the budget would allow States to spend Federal TANF funds to offset the cost of tax breaks for charitable donations.

Fortunately, the Congressional Budget Resolution includes an extension of the TANF supplemental grants, and the Administration's proposal on using TANF funds to offset tax breaks has not been included in any of the faith-based proposals now being considered by Congress.

Finally, let me make a general point about resources. The President has on many occasions touted his faith-based initiative as a way to help more charities serve needy families. But he fails to acknowledge that many religious charities already receive government aid to help the poor.

One of the most effective ways to help these faith-based providers do even more is to increase funding for public programs which provide them with resources.

For example, religious charities have been outspoken in their support for restoring funding to the Social Services Block Grant (Title XX), which has been cut from $2.8 billion a year in 1995 to $1.7 billion today. And yet President Bush's budget continues to under-fund this program.

The Child Care and Development Block Grant is another example of a program that faith-based organizations depend on to serve needy families. The President's budget would provide $400 million in discretionary funding for a new after-school program within this block grant, but half of that money is taken out of the current activities funded by the CCDBG. We must do better if we are serious about helping "the armies of compassion" ensure that "no child is left behind."

Mr. Chairman, I look forward to hearing Mr. Williams' presentation of the Administration's budget, while recognizing that as a career employee in the position of Acting Assistant Secretary for Management and Budget at HHS, he may be constrained in his ability to articulate the Administration's policies beyond what is already stated in the budget.