ELCA Thanks, Pushes Congress for Food Stamp Legislation

CHICAGO (ELCA) -- In October, Congress passed two provisions of the Hunger Relief Act, letting states set their own limits on vehicles owned by food-stamp recipients and raising a limit on the cost of shelter for food-stamp recipients. The Lutheran Office for Governmental Affairs (LOGA), Washington, D.C., applauded that action and asked that a third provision -- restoring food stamps for legal immigrants -- be passed before the end of the year.
LOGA is the federal public policy advocacy office of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA).
Under current law, most food-stamp recipients can own a car worth up to $4,650 -- a limit that has increased by only $150 since 1977. "Low-income people often must choose between getting food stamps or owning a reliable car to drive to work," said Kay A. Bengston, assistant director for public policy advocacy, LOGA.
The new provisions will allow states to set their own food- stamp vehicle limit keeping it in line with the vehicle limit they established for persons participating in the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program, said Bengston. Many states exempt one vehicle.
Current law also puts a cap on housing costs in a way that unfairly limits food-stamp benefits for families, especially those with children, Bengston said. The new provisions will raise that maximum over five years, allowing an estimated 775,000 households to receive modestly higher food-stamp benefits, she said. There was no shelter cap for persons who are elderly or persons with a disability.
Congress adopted those provisions of the Hunger Relief Act as part of the Agriculture Appropriations bill. The legislation did not restore food-stamp eligibility to otherwise qualified legal immigrants -- a third provision of the Hunger Relief Act.
"Low-income legal immigrants work hard and pay taxes alongside U.S. citizens. They deserve our attention, especially when they are struggling to meet such a basic need of food," said an Oct. 13 letter to President Clinton from several religious leaders, including the Rev. H. George Anderson, ELCA presiding bishop, Ralston H. Deffenbaugh Jr., president of Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service, and Joanne Negstad, president of Lutheran Services in America.
"Mr. President, we need your leadership on this most vital issue," the letter continued. "When you signed the welfare bill, you acknowledged that the cuts in benefits to legal immigrants were too extreme. Your budget this year does include funding for a partial restoration. Now is the time to right this wrong and ensure that low- income legal immigrants who fall on hard times do not go hungry."
On Oct. 16 -- World Food Day -- Clinton said, "I urge Congress to enact my budget proposal to help those here at home by ensuring that legal immigrants have access to critical nutrition and health assistance."
In 1996, as part of welfare reform, Congress denied most legal immigrants of food-stamp eligibility. "Upon signing the welfare reform law, I made a commitment to reverse unnecessary cuts in benefits to legal immigrants that had nothing to do with the law's goal of moving people from welfare to work," Clinton said.
"In 1997 and 1998, I joined Congress in taking steps to restore eligibility for many vulnerable immigrants," Clinton added. "Now it is time to restore benefits to other legal immigrants who are working hard and playing by the rules, but are in need of assistance."

For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or NEWS@ELCA.ORG
http://listserv.elca.org/archives/elcanews.html