Letter to Senators Charles E. Grassley and Max Baucus, Senate Finance Committee

June 24, 2003

The Honorable Charles E. Grassley
Senate Finance Committee Chairman
135 Hart Senate Bldg.
Washington, DC 20510

The Honorable Max Baucus
Senate Finance Committee
511 Hart Senate Office Bldg.
Washington, DC 20510

via facsimile and U.S. mail

RE: Extension of Oregon's TANF Waivers

Dear Senators Grassley and Baucus:

I am writing to you regarding extension of the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) program and the importance of Oregon being able to maintain its present set of waivers.

It is my understanding that the current approach to TANF reauthorization is to extend the existing program until this fall when reauthorizing legislation would then be formally considered. The House-approved legislation extending TANF benefits until September 30, 2003 would allow Oregon's waiver to expire at the end of this month. This puts the state into the position of potentially having to make program changes twice: first to conform to existing TANF legislation, and again when new requirements ultimately are set in reauthorizing legislation. From a program configuration and funding investment prospective, it makes little sense to begin restructuring our program until we know what requirements final TANF reauthorization legislation will include.

Oregon continues to support TANF reauthorization legislation that would allow states with waivers to continue their waivered programs. At a minimum, however, I would urge you to consider extending Oregon's waiver for the same period of time as that of the current program.

Oregon's program has clearly been successful. Since 1994, Oregon's cash assistance caseload has dropped by approximately 60 percent. Most of the caseload decline in Oregon has been due to clients who found employment. The program has accomplished these outcomes without the use of a rigid formula of activities, high levels of required hours of participation or the threat of time limits. The Manpower Research Demonstration Corporation (MDRC) rated Portland, Oregon's JOBS Program model as the most successful in the nation in its NEWWS (National Evaluation of Welfare to Work Strategies) study commissioned by HHS.

Given the timing and the circumstances surrounding reauthorization and the fact that we do not yet know how waivered programs may be handled in the eventual TANF legislation, the fairest and the most logical course of action would be to allow for the extension of waivers for states that have them until final program requirements are determined. Your support in our efforts to enable our state to continue operating its current program until there is more certainty with respect to TANF reauthorization would be greatly appreciated.

Sincerely,

Theodore R. Kulongoski
Governor

TRK:EKS:ejb
c: The Honorable Gordon Smith
The Honorable Ron Wyden
The Honorable Earl Blumenauer
The Honorable Peter DeFazio
The Honorable Darlene Hooley
The Honorable Greg Walden
The Honorable David Wu