September 28, 2004 

Dear Senator:

As you know, the current extension of the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Program (TANF) expires on September 30th.  As members of the faith community, we have consistently called on Congress to move forward on the reauthorization of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) by supporting policy that will lift families out of poverty, enable individuals to gain skills needed to work and earn enough to meet basic human needs, and improve child well-being.  We recognize that, given the short timeframe, a full reauthorization is unlikely at this time. 

As you and your colleagues prepare to vote on legislation to extend TANF, we urge you to

• Oppose any short-term TANF extension that includes policy changes (including the Santorum/Bayh bill to add the marriage and fatherhood programs from the Senate reauthorization bill which could divert funding from already declining services).  There are several issues still undecided in TANF that deserve a full and thoughtful debate.  States need stability, both of funding, and program policies, to maintain quality services.
   
• If Congress has time to consider policy changes to TANF, we urge you to address the immediate needs of low-income families, such as additional funding for quality child care that enables parents to work, and improvements to the child support program offered in the Senate bill.

Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,

American Baptist Churches USA
American Friends Service Committee
Bread for the World
The Central Conference of American Rabbis
Church Women United
Disciples Justice Action Network
The Episcopal Church USA
Equal Partners in Faith
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
The Jewish Council for Public Affairs
Mennonite Central Committee U.S. Washington Office
National Advocacy Center of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd
National Council of Churches of Christ in the USA
NETWORK:  A National Catholic Social Justice Lobby
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Washington Office
Progressive National Baptist Convention Inc.
Union for Reform Judaism
Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations
United Church of Christ Justice and Witness Ministries
United Methodist Church – General Board of Church and Society
Women of Reform Judaism