Letter to Speaker Pelosi and Majority Leader Reid

Letter

Dear Speaker Pelosi and Majority Leader Reid:

We write today to express our strong support for an extension of the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Emergency Contingency Fund (TANF-ECF), which is scheduled to expire on September 30th. Created in the Recovery Act, TANF-ECF has helped states like California by providing enhanced federal funding that has been used to create jobs and support families who need it most.

Under the emergency fund, states recieved increased federal grants to cover 80% of recession-related costs. This much needed enhanced funding to California has provided vital services during the recession such as cash support to low income children and their families, subsidized employment and training services. Additionally, the funding has been used for short term supportive services such as housing, food and utility vouchers. According to the President pro Tempore of the California State Senate, California has used this increased funding to generate 36,000 jobs.

The House has passed a one-year TANF-ECF extension twice--first as part of H.R. 4849, the Small Business and Infrastructure Jobs Act, by a vote of 246 - 178, and again as a part of H.R. 4213, the American JObs and Closing Tax Loopholes, by a vote of 241 - 181. Unfortunately, a TANF-ECF extension has not passed the Senate.

Although the National Bureau of Economic Research has stated that the economic recession has ended, our constituents are still suffering. Extending TANF-ECF is necessary to meet the goal of job training and employment for workers who are essential to rebuilding California's economy. We thank you for your leadership and look forward to working with you to pass as emergency fund extension before it expires.

Sincerely

Pete Stark
Doris Matsui
Loretta Sanchez
Jane Harman
Barbara Lee
Lynn Woolsey
Henry Waxman