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LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE DN CIVIL RIGHTS I ROY WILKINS , Chairman ARNOLD ARONSON, Secretary JOSEPH L. RAUH, JR ., Counsel CLARENCE M. MITCHELL, Legislative Chairman MARVIN CAPLAN, Di rector Wa shington Office . ' J. FRANCIS POHLHAUS , Special Con su ltant ' 2027 Mass. Ave., N.W., Washington, D. C. 20036 phone 667-1780 TO: Participating Organizations FROM·: Arnold Aronson, Secretary YVONNE PRICE, Executive As sistant • New York address : 20 West 40th St ., New York 10018, phon e BRyant 9-1400 MEMO NO. 21-67 Oc tober 2 7, 1967 A SOCIAL SECURITY BILL THAT PUNISHES THE POOR What began as an attempt by Congress to modernize t he Social Security Act has, in the bill the House approved, resulted in several proposa l s that seem both backward and punitive. Some of the House proposals come close t o taking the long di s c re dite d view that the proper way to handle welfare is to insult the people who nee d it and try to push or scare them off the rolls. When Newburgh, New York, in 1962, proposed to cut off a ssis t ance t o recipients who refuse to take any jobs offered to them, it was exco r iate d t hroughout the nation for its medieval attitude. Yet the House-passed bill (H. R. 12080) has a provision that would authorize much that sort of treatm ent to depende nt . mothers and their children. When Louisiana sought to cut off-aid to mothers who gave birth to illegitimate children after going on r elief , the Department of Hea lt h, Edu ca t ion and Welfare ruled the plan invalid, Yet the House, by placing a cei li ng on aid to needy chil dren see ms to be t ryi ng, indirectly, to put i ts o wn limits on birt hs. The social security a mend m ents are now before the S enate and ii is h ere that we must concent rate our efforts for improvement s i n the 3 2-year-ol d s t a t ute that will make it responsive to the present needs of American society. A Loophole for Hos pitals In one o f our re ce n t MEMOs (No. 19 - 67 ~ Octob e r 9) , we s o un d e d th e a larm in regard to an a m endment that was not in the House - passed measure but was to be proposed as an addition to the bill during cu rrent conside r a tion of it by the Senat e "Cooperation in the Common Cause of Civ il Rights for All" �PARTICIPATING ORGANIZATIONS AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH NATIONAL CATHOLIC CONFERENCE FOR INTERRACIAL JUSTICE AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL ZION CHURCH NATIONAL CATHOLIC SOCIA L ACT ION CON FEREN CE NATIONAL COMMUNITY RE LAT IONS ADV ISORY CO U NC IL ALPHA KAPPA ALPHA SORORITY, INC. NATIONAL COUNCIL OF CATHOLIC MEN ALPHA PHI ALPHA FRATERNITY, INC. NATIONAL COUNC IL OF CATHOLIC WOMEN AMALGAMATED CLOTH ING WORKERS OF AMERICA AMALGAMATED MEAT CUTTERS & BUTCHER WORKMEN AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION NATIONAL COUNCIL OF CHURCHES-DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL JUSTICE NATIONAL COUNCIL OF JEWISH WOMEN NATIONAL COUNCIL OF NEGRO WOMEN AMERICAN ETHICAL UNION AMERICAN FEDERATION OF LABOR ORGANIZATIONS CONGRESS OF INDUSTRIAL NATIONAL COUNCIL OF PUERTO RICAN VOLUNTEERS, INC. NATIONAL COUNCIL OF SENIOR CITIZENS, INC. AMERICAN FEDERATION OF STATE COUNTY & MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEES NATIONAL DENTAL ASSOCIATION NATIONAL FARMERS UNION AMERICAN FEDERATION OF TEACHERS NATIONAL FEDERATION OF CATHOLIC COLLEGE STUDENTS AMERICA'\l JEWISH COMMITTEE NATIONAL FEDERATION OF SETTLEMENTS & NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS AMERICAN JE#ISH CONGRESS NATIONAL FEDERATION OF TEMPLE SISTERHOODS AMERICAN NEWSPAPER GUILD NATIONAL JEWISH WELFARE BOARD AMERICAN VETERANS COMMITTEE NATIONAL MEDICAL ASSOCIATION AMERICANS FOR DEMOCRATIC ACTION NATIONAL NEWMAN STUDENT FEDERATION ANTI-DEFAMATION LEAGUE OF B'NAI B'R TH NATIONAL NEWSPAPER PUBLISHERS ASSOCIATION A. PHILIP RANDOLPH l"lSTITUTE NATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR MEXICAN-AMERICAN SERVICES BISHOP'S COMMITTEE FOR THE SPANISH SPEAKING NATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR WOMEN NATIONAL SHARECROPPERS FUND B'NAI B'RITH WOMEN NATIONAL URBAN LEAGUE BROTHERHOOD OF SLEEPING CAR PCRTERS NEGRO AMERICAN LABOR COUNCIL CHRISTIAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN - BRETHREN SERVICE COMMISSION PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL CHURCH-DIVISION OF CHRISTIAN OMEGA PSI PHI FRATERNITY, INC. CHURCH WOMEN UN TED PHI BETA SIGMA FRATERNITY, INC. FAIR PLAY CITIZENS LOBBY FOR FF PHI DELTA KAPPA SORORITY COLL EGL YCS NAT ONA PIONEER WOMEN, AMERICAN AFFAIRS CONGRESS OF RACIAL EQ PRESBYTERIAN INTERRACIAL COUNCIL DEL TA Sl(";MA THETA SORC11'TY EPISCOPAL SOCIETY FOR CV TURAL AND RAC Al FRANCS AN JIJRl<;D1CrlON O "l TV THE THIRD ORDE:R u• , T. FRANCIS C11L CHEMICAL & ATOMIC WORKERS INTERNATIONAL UNION CITIZENSHIP RETAIL WHOLESALE & DEPARTMENT STORE UNION FRO"HIERS INTERNATIONAL SOI., THERN BE.Au rv COl'..SRESS, INC 1-i DASSAH SOUTHERN ~HR ST Ml LEADERSHIP CO'ffrnEt.CE HOTEL ANO RESTAURANT EMPLOYEES ANO BAR~E DE.R; INTERNATIONAL U'IION TEXTILE WORKERS vN'ON OF AMERICA IM ROVED AfNEVOLENT & PROTECTIVE ORDER OF ELKS OF THE WORLD UNION OF AMERICAN HEBREW CONGREGATIONS INDUSTRI L UNIC'II DEPARTMEN r AFL CIO l'lTE "lAT'ONAL LAD[;:, GAR"'1EW WORKERc UNI N OF AMER CA l"ITE'R lAT ONAL U"ll0N OF ELECTRICAL RAC! IOTA l'H LAMBDA SORORITY, JAPA & MACHINE WORKERS TRANSPORT WORKERS UNION OF AMERICA UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST ASSOCIATION -COMMISS & RACE NON RELIGIJN UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST WOMEN'S FEDERATION UNITED AUTOMOBILE WORKERS OF AMERICA NC UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST- COMMITTEE FOR RACIAL JUSTICE NOW AMERICAN CITIZENS LEAGUE UN'TED CHURCH OF CHRIST- COUNCIL FOR CHR 1 T A"l SOCIAL .I\CTION JEV., • H LAB R CC\o1MITTEE UNITED HEBREW TRADES JEWISH WAR VETERANS LABOR ZIONIST OR ,A'l1ZAT 10N OF A UNITED PACKINGHOUSE, FOOD & ALLIED WuRKERS ER CA LEA ,UL F-OR NDUSTRIAL DEMOCRACY UNITED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH -COMMISSION ON RELIGIONS. RAU LUTf-!ERAN CHURCH 'N AMERICA--BOARD OF SOCIAL MINISTRY UNITED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH - MED CAL C M'vilTTEE FOR HUMAN RIGHTS UNITED RUBBER WORKERS NATIO"lAL ALLIANCE OF POSTAL & FEDERAL EMPLOY ES UNITED STATES NATIONAL STUDENT ASSOCIA llON NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF COLORED PEOPLE UNITED STATES Y UTH COUNC L OFF 1CE. OF CHURCH & SOCIETY NATIO"lAL ASSOC AT ON OF COLLEGE WOMEN UNITED STf"LWORKERS OF AMERICA NATI "lAL ASSOC AT ON OF COLORED WOMEN'S CLUBS INC. UNITED SYNAGOGUE OF AMERICA NATIONAL Ac;SOCIAT ON OF NEGRO BUSINESS & P'lOFESSIONAL /OMEN'S CLUBS, INC UNIVERSITY CHRISTIAN MOVEMENT NATIONAL A SOCIA TIC. N OF RFAL ESTATE BROKERS, I OF SOCIAL IC'Rl<ERS NATION/\ A<;SOC ATI NAT BAPT ST CON E:.N A ,;, T N T ')N A~ ON U S A S'SC..C AT ON 8 JT U. Ti.JR STS' L~GUE. 1",C. NC. UNITED TRANSPORT SERVICE EMPLOYEE'S WOMENS INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE FC' FE'\CE & FREEDOM WORKERS DEFENSE LE.AGI.JE • ' RKMEN S CIRCLE. Y<.. UNG WOMEN'S CHRISTIA"! ZETA PH BETA SORORITY N UF THE USA �·- 2 .. F ina n c e C ommittee , T his wa s the a mendment offer ed by S e nato :r Herm an T a lmadge (D-Ga. ) that would enable pat ients to re c e ive Fede ral m e dica l benefit s i n ho s pitals that a re not in c omplian c e with the C ivi 1 Right s Act of 1964 . W e pointe d o u t, t hen, the obvio us danger t h i s pos e s t o adequa t e enfo r cement of Title VI of the A ct, the sect io n tha t enable s foe Federal gover nm ent to cut off funds to a ny F ederally-assisted p r ogram t ha t disc r imin a t es. A C omprom is e Effe c t e d As thj_s M E M O is w r i t t e n , a corn p r o m is e a p pea r s t o have been worke d o u t bet ween HEW and Senat o r T a lma dge. Patients in non-complyi ng ho spita l s w ould sti ll be l"eimbur s e d , a lthough the p e r c e n ta g e of reimbur sem e n t no longe r appea r s to be fixed. But in s tead o f a llowing s uc h reimbu r sements for a pe riod r unning fro m the s t art o f M edicare i n J. 966 t o Decem b er 31, 1968 , the compromi se would m ove the cutoff date for s u c h trea tment to De c ember 3 1, 196 7 . W hile thi s is an im p rovem e n t, the amendm e nt s t i ll opens a loo p hole in Title VI e nfor c ~ment and s hould still be oppo sed. New Bu r d ens on the P o or W hile the Talmadge am e ndment is the o ne that d ea l s mos t spe cifi cally with a matt er o f c ivil right s , o ther p ro posals in t he House bill would fall s o heavily upon t he urban poo r an d their large minority gro u p s , tha t it seem s incumbent upo n the Leadership C onference to op pose them. A t t he las t meeting of the Washi ngton r ep re sentati ves there was unanim ou s agre e ment t hat in addition to oppo sing t h e T alma d g e amendme nt , the C onference shoul d express it s opposition to three others: 1. C ompuls o r y Wo rk and Training Programs States w ould be re quired t o set u p work and train ing programs and a dults and chi l dren over 16, who are no t in school, would be requir e d t o participate or face the lo ss of as s istance . To moth er s getting he l p und er the Aid t o Families with De pendent Chi ldren (AFDC ) program, thi s provision w ould come as a blow. They wou l.d be fo rced t o ta,ke jobs o r t raining even t hough, i n ma ny cases, there was no a d equate da y-care for their child r en and eve n though it was more important for them to s tay h ome and ca re for their youngsters. W hat's more, the r e a r e no assu r a nc es that the training would be thorough or lead t o anything . It could ve ry w ell force them, i n the e n d , to wo r1~ in deadend job s for lov; wages. And ce rtainly fo r cing people to eithe r work or lose the he l p they need for them selves and t heir children returns w elfare to about the leve l of th e mid-Victorian poorhouses. 2. Limits on Aid to Chil d r en The House bill would limit assistance under the AFDC program to only the perc entage of children in b roken home s, as r elated to all childr en unde r 21 in e ach state , that was receiving help in January 1967 ,\ For instance, if three percent of th e t- �- 3- minor children in a s t ate were i n b r oken h o m es and on AFDC in Ja nua r y, the s t a t e could not get Fede ra l funds fo r mor e than th ree percent i n s ub s e q u e nt y e ar s , no matter how large a n increase the r e might be in the numb er of poo r , f a t h er l ess youngsters living in i t, Hardest hit b y t his proposa l would , agai n, b e t he p e o p l e lea st a b l e t o bear the burdens it wo u ld impose - - t he migra nts comin g f r om the rura l South to t he cities. For those stat es in w hic h s u c h mi gra nt s u s ua lly s e ttle, the choi ce wou l d be bleak: either t o assume the i n c r e a sed costs of c a ri ng for t h e de s titute o r t o simply ignore them and invite f u r ther c hao s . 3. Ben e fit s The House b ill w o uld increa se s ocia l se cu rity b e n efit s by only 12 1 / 2 p e r cent and r ai ses t he minimum b ene fit from th e present $ 44 to o nly $ 50 . T hi s is cle arly insufficient to meet the ne e ds o f i ndivi d uai s and famili es whos e i n c om es a r e a lready being eroded b y i nflati on. T h e Admin is t ration p roposa l c a ll s fo r a 15 pe rcent across -the - boa r d increase and a 5 9 percent increa s e i n th e minimum to $ 7 • Whi le many group s wi thi n the Leaders hi p C onferen ce fe e l e ven thi s incre as e 1s in s ufficient , t hey ar e wi lli ng to endo rse it as t he minimum am o unt . T h e C o n f erence c onsensus covers the amendment s o u t line d thu s f ar . The r e are other a m e n dm ent s i n the b ill t hat indivi dual group s in the L e a d ership Confere n c e oppose . One part ic ula r ly, i s t he d ras ti c r est ri c tion the H ouse bill im po ses o n t he new Medicaid ( T i tle XI X) program o f m edica l care for th e nee d y. Inc o me lim it s wo u ld b e e stab li she d at o ne-th ird o v er the AFDC payment s leve l which would ac tually cut off fr om M e dica id e li gibi lity w e lfa re reci pients in s o m e stat es. The b ill a l so pe r mits s tat es t o c u t 1:b ack , on t he range o f med i c a l care se r vice s p rov i de d , inclu d in g the po s sibi lity of provi d ing neithe r hospital no r phy sic ia n s ervices if other l es s e s sentia l servi ces are p rovi d e d in s t e a d . What Ne e ds To B e Done W e urge a 11 our parti cipating organiz atio ns t o join in o pposing a t least: th e Talm adge a m endm e n t o n ho spital s ; the m a n da tory wo r k- training p ro visio n s and t h e freez e on t he percenta ge o f d epend ent c hild ren who c an be h elped. We sho uld strongly urge s ubstantially larger increases in s ocial security benefits, bot h across the b o ard an d in the minim um payments. P l e a s e write to members of the S enat e F inanc e C ommittee (li s t attache d) and urge th e m to vot e against t hese and any other amendments that would l ea d us back w ard , p lunge millions of poor people into despair a n d play into the hand s of cynics who say C ongre ss is unab le to meet the press ing needs of our communities. But please act now! To a gro wing and ala rming extent, the War on Pov erty appear s to be s hifting into a War on the P oor . - 30 - �-4- SENA TE FINANCE COMMITTEE Russell B. Long (D-La.), Chairman Democrats George A. Smathers (Fla.) Clinton P. Anderson (N. M.) Albert Gore (Tenn.) Herman E. Talmadge (Ga.) Eugene J. McCarthy (Minn,) Vance Hartke (Ind.) J. W. Fulbright (Ark,) A bra ham A. Ribicoff (Conn.) Lee Metcalf (Mont,) Fred R. Harris (Okla.) Republicans John J. Williams (Del,) Frank Carlson (Kan,) Wallace F. Bennett (Utah) Carl T. Curtis (Neb.) Thurston B. Mo r ton (Ky.) Everett McKinley Dirksen (Ill.) �