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55031102
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AFDC [Aid to Families with Dependent Children]
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2068127-20130534S-050-006-2022
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FILE No. 681 12/07 '95 18:08 ID:CONG. MATSUI PAGE 1 ROBERT T. MATSUI feleAF DC FIFTH DISTRICT, CALIFORNIA WASHINGTON OFFICE: 2311 RAYBURN HOUSE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON. DC 20615-0505 COMMITTEE ON (202) 225-7163 WAYS AND MEANS Congress of the United States DISTRICT OFFICE: SUBCOMMITTEE ON OVERSIGHT H058 FEDERAL BUILDING RANKING DEMOCRAT SUBCOMMITTEE ON TRADE house of Representatives 650 CAPITOL MALL SACRAMENTO. CA 95814 (916) 498-5600 WHIP AT LARGE Hashington, DC 20515-0505 FAX TRANSMITTAL SHEET TO: Melanne Verveer FAX NUMBER 456-6266 FROM: Office of Cong Matsui DATE: Dec 7, 1995 NUMBER OF PAGES 4 (including cover sheet) SENT FROM FAX # (202) 225-0566 (If you do not receive all pages, or if they are not clear, please call (202) 225-7163.) THIS STATIONERY PRINTED ON PAPER MADE WITH RECYCLED FIBERS FILE No. 681 12/07 '95 18:08 ID:CONG. MATSUI PAGE 2 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES WASHINGTON, D.C. 20515 ROBERT T. MATSUI 300 DISTRICT, CALIFORNIA December 7, 1995 Dear Hillary, I don't know if you have been involved in any of the discussions within the white House on the issue of the entillement status of AFDC, but I'm writing to you about it as a matter of some ungency. J hope that the President will protect the entitlement status of this Program. Jun my opinion it is the sudjor issue on AFDC and the discussion of other matters such as the "maintensace g effect "(whether it should be 75% or 80% ) pale in Comparison In 1981, President Reason aid major damage to AFOC By 1983, the Governors (many Republican) were arging NOT PRINTED A1 GOVERNMENT EXPENSE PAGE 3 FILE No. 12/07 '95 18:08 ID:CONG. MATSUI page 2 us to clean up the oness created by the 1981 changes. Because the program was an entillement, we were able to make the necessary changes and give some protection to the main beneticiaries of the Program - children If we lize the entiblement status, Sin afraid that the program in the future will be treated like revenue sharing and, in competition with other discretionary programs, will be em standly cut. The impact on our clivedver will be devas tating. The stories in this week's Time magazine or Eliza lzquierdo will be repeated over and over. State and local government just will not give lugh priority to there programs. If the choice is more police on the beat or benefits for poor children, state and local government will chose the former over the latter out of political recessity. Heat's PAGE 4 FILE No. 681 12/07 '95 18:09 ID:CONG. MATSUI page 3 the reason these programs had to be assumed by the Federal Bonernment in the first place Even the most conservation Democrats in our House cancus understand this so members like Bill Orton, Gary Cridit and others support the entillement Ten years from now, if there are more homelers and aboved children, we would not want it said that it was because of the legacy of 1995. Hillary, thanks for hearing me nt I hope you will be alle to lalp on this very, very important matter Best wish, SENT BY:Xerox Telecopier 7020 11-13-95 ; 4:53PM ; 2 CC :Melanne Daniel Fabrick Maynihan file AFDC New York United States Senate Washington D. C. November 1, 1995 Nov 95 Dear Mrs. Clinton: In the current issue of U.S. News there is a fine article, "Who speaks for the poor?" You are cited as saying of the various measures before the Congress, "I can only believe that most Americans have not yet fully grasped the impact of these budget proposals." The article goes on to tell of a report Secretary Shalala brought to the White House: The secret HHS analysis, obtained by U.S. News from White House sources and also leaked to the Los Angeles Times, concluded that the Senate legislation would cause the number of children in poverty to increase by almost 11 percent. It, too, would have a devastating impact on the incomes of the poorest fifth of families with children. On average, they would lose $798 a family, or 6 percent of their cash income. I enclose the two documents in the hope that you will share my view that while in the past the Congress has missed opportunities to help poor children, it has never before calculatedly set out to injure them. Respectfully, is Mrs. Hillary Rodham Clinton The White House Washington, DC 20500 Enclosures file AFDC THE WHITE HOUSE WASHINGTON December 18, 1995 The Honorable Robert T. Matsui United States House of Representatives Washington, D.C. 20515 Dear Bob: Thank you for your letter about the importance of maintaining an entitlement for AFDC. I share your commitment to ensuring that vulnerable children and families get the services and supports that they need. As you know, the welfare reform bill that the President sent to the Congress last year retained a conditional entitlement to cash assistance and provided significant resources for child care and other services. He also strongly supported the House and Senate Democratic alternatives this year, which retained the entitlement and included strong protections for children. The Administration has taken a very strong stand against the current welfare reform conference report, particularly the harsh cuts in programs like child protective services, child nutrition, food stamps, and services for legal immigrants. In addition to the changes we are seeking in these areas, we will continue working to ensure that any final welfare reform bill provides adequate resources for child care, requires states to maintain their stake in the success of reform, and protects families and states in economic downturns. I very much appreciated hearing your views on this issue and would of course welcome any further thoughts you have. Sincerely yours, Hillary Hillary Rodham Clinton