ADVISORY
FROM THE COMMITTEE ON WAYS AND MEANS

SUBCOMMITTEE ON HUMAN RESOURCES
SUBCOMMITTEE ON SELECT REVENUE MEASURES

Herger and McCrery Announce Joint Hearing on
H.R. 7, the "Community Solutions Act of 2001"

Congressman Wally Herger (R-CA), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Human Resources, and Congressman Jim McCrery (R-LA), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Select Revenue Measures, Committee on Ways and Means, today announced that the Subcommittees will hold a joint hearing on H.R. 7, the "Community Solutions Act of 2001." The hearing will take place on Thursday, June 14, 2001, in the main Committee room, 1100 Longworth House Office Building, beginning at 10:00 a.m.

In view of the limited time available to hear witnesses, oral testimony at this hearing will be from invited witnesses only. Witnesses will include Members of Congress, social service program administrators, representatives of faith-based organizations, academics, and other experts in charitable giving and government efforts to spur greater individual and community involvement in aiding the needy.  However, any individual or organization not scheduled for an oral appearance may submit a written statement for consideration by the Committee and for inclusion in the printed record of the hearing.

BACKGROUND:

On March 29, 2001, Representatives J.C. Watts (R-OK) and Tony Hall (D-OH), along with Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-IL), introduced H.R. 7, the "Community Solutions Act of 2001." Key features of this legislation are designed to provide incentives for charitable contributions by individuals and businesses, to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of various social services to individuals and families in need, and to enhance the ability of low-income Americans to gain financial security by building assets.

Within the jurisdiction of the Subcommittee on Select Revenue Measures, H.R. 7 includes several tax-related proposals, including measures to provide a charitable contribution deduction for non-itemizers, to permit tax-free withdrawals form individual retirement accounts (IRAs) for charitable contributions, to liberalize the restrictions on the donation of food inventory, and to create individual development accounts.

Within the jurisdiction of the Subcommittee on Human Resources, Title II of H.R. 7 provides for enhanced opportunities for faith-based organizations to provide various social services. H.R. 7 builds on provisions first enacted in the 1996 welfare reform law that prohibited States from discriminating against faith-based organizations seeking to provide services using Temporary Assistance for Needy Families funds. Since 1996 similar "charitable choice" provisions have been added to Welfare-to-Work, community service, and substance abuse programs.

In announcing the hearing, Chairman Herger stated: "I commend the President, along with Representatives Watts and Hall and Speaker Hastert, for tapping the power of the faith-based community to help needy Americans. That was our goal in the welfare reform charitable choice provision. I am eager to learn more about their proposals in H.R. 7 to add new choices and services to help the needy."

Chairman McCrery added:"In every community, there are countless examples of how charities help fulfill unmet needs. Congress needs to examine new ways to encourage Americans to help charities help communities. I look forward to examining the proposals in H.R. 7 which encourage more charitable giving."

FOCUS OF THE HEARING:

The focus of the hearing is to review H.R. 7, the "Community Solutions Act of 2001."

DETAILS FOR SUBMISSION OF WRITTEN COMMENTS:

Any person or organization wishing to submit a written statement for the printed record of the hearing should submit six (6) single-spaced copies of their statement, along with an IBM compatible 3.5-inch diskette in WordPerfect or MS Word format, with their name, address, and hearing date noted on a label, by the close of business, Tuesday, June 19, 2001, to Allison Giles, Chief of Staff, Committee on Ways and Means, U.S. House of Representatives, 1102 Longworth House Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20515. If those filing written statements wish to have their statements distributed to the press and interested public at the hearing, they may deliver 200 additional copies for this purpose to the Subcommittee on Human Resources office, room B-317 Rayburn House Office Building, by close of business the day before the hearing.

FORMATTING REQUIREMENTS:

Each statement presented for printing to the Committee by a witness, any written statement or exhibit submitted for the printed record or any written comments in response to a request for written comments must conform to the guidelines listed below. Any statement or exhibit not in compliance with these guidelines will not be printed, but will be maintained in the Committee files for review and use by the Committee.

1. All statements and any accompanying exhibits for printing must be submitted on an IBM compatible 3.5-inch diskette WordPerfect or MS Word format, typed in single space and may not exceed a total of 10 pages including attachments. Witnesses are advised that the Committee will rely on electronic submissions for printing the official hearing record.

2. Copies of whole documents submitted as exhibit material will not be accepted for printing. Instead, exhibit material should be referenced and quoted or paraphrased. All exhibit material not meeting these specifications will be maintained in the Committee files for review and use by the Committee.

3. A witness appearing at a public hearing, or submitting a statement for the record of a public hearing, or submitting written comments in response to a published request for comments by the Committee, must include on his statement or submission a list of all clients, persons, or organizations on whose behalf the witness appears.

4. A supplemental sheet must accompany each statement listing the name, company, address, telephone and fax numbers where the witness or the designated representative may be reached. This supplemental sheet will not be included in the printed record.

The above restrictions and limitations apply only to material being submitted for printing. Statements and exhibits or supplementary material submitted solely for distribution to the Members, the press, and the public during the course of a public hearing may be submitted in other forms.

Note: All Committee advisories and news releases are available on the World Wide Web at "http://waysandmeans.house.gov".

The Committee seeks to make its facilities accessible to persons with disabilities. If you are in need of special accommodations, please call 202-225-1721 or 202-226-3411 TTD/TTY in advance of the event (four business days notice is requested). Questions with regard to special accommodation needs in general (including availability of Committee materials in alternative formats) may be directed to the Committee as noted above.