This document reports on a congressional oversight hearing on the Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA) Program on its 25th anniversary. This hearing is also the opening hearing toward the reauthorization of VISTA, the Federal Government's only full-time domestic volunteer service to alleviate poverty-related problems. Testimony includes…

This briefing report provides information on recent trends in: (1) the number of households applying for food stamp benefits; (2) the number of households participating in the Food Stamp Program; and (3) the percentage of households whose food stamps were improperly denied or terminated. The data were reported by the 50 U.S. states, the District…

This document presents a transcript of a Joint Subcommittee on Monetary and Fiscal Policy hearing on the impact of the Federal "War on Poverty" programs. Testimony and submissions for the record included: (1) a paper by Lowell Gallaway et al., "The 'New' Structural Poverty: A Quantitative Analysis," which examines the effects…

This background paper provides the basis for evaluation of programs aimed at reforming social welfare programs. It analyzes the effect of current income transfer programs on poor families. Public expenditures for social welfare programs have grown four-fold while at the same time, the percentage of families in poverty has declined by only 30%.…

This document presents the record of a hearing on the reauthorization of the Demonstration Partnership Program (DPP), part of the Community Services Block Grant Act. The program offers community action agencies the opportunity to test new methods for reducing dependency and fostering self-sufficiency among the poor. Six agency representatives…

The contents of this report by the staff of the Senate Select Committee on Nutrition and Human Needs--based on information gathered at the National Nutrition Policy hearings, from testimony before the Select Committee and the Senate Agriculture Committee and through staff investigation--are organized in nine chapters, as follows: (1) Food Stamp…

This document contains oral testimony by state and government officials, prepared statements, and supporting materials concerning food assistance for the homeless. The bills before the Senate would increase Temporary Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) funding by $10 million in fiscal year 1987, and $20 million in 1988. According to John W.…

This booklet contains the proceedings of a Congressional hearing held to review the broad policy implications involved in defining poverty and income, and to gather information on the relationship of the poverty definition and eligibility for public assistance, revenue sharing, block grants, and other programs. Addressing the general question of…

Nearly 80 means-tested programs for low-income persons and families have been created by the federal government to help meet the needs of various groups. In fiscal year 1992, the federal government spent about $208 billion through these programs. Evaluation of these programs was based on reports by the General Accounting Office (GAO) and others.…

The complete texts of testimony and statements from the February and March, 1978, Hearings before the Senate Subcommittee on Employment, Poverty, and Migratory Labor regarding the Comprehensive Employment and Training Act (CETA) Amendments of 1978 are presented in this document. (Hearing sites included Grand Rapids and Detroit, Michigan, Madison,…

Poverty affects many rural two-parent families, even with one or both parents working. High suicide rates, increased violence, families separated in order to find work, homelessness, and hunger afflict the rural and small town poor. This document contains testimony from poor and homeless rural people; the director of the Center on Budget and…

At this hearing questions of unemployment compensation, job training, minimum wage, and statistics gathering of the Bureau of Labor Statistics were considered. Points made included the following: while minorities are overrepresented among the poor, most poor people are white; most poor people are also women, possibly because they have less access…

This report chronicles the history of the Federal role in welfare programs and training and employment programs since the New Deal. Part I presents a chronological summary of legislative action since 1935 and briefly discusses some major issues the Congress has tried to resolve, including: whether Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC)…

This hearing reviews testimony concerning H.R. 2246, the Jobs for Employable Dependent Individuals Act (JEDI). JEDI is a voluntary program whereby states receive additional funds to fight the problem of chronic welfare dependency and poverty. The bill would require the existing Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA) to target job training efforts at…

This Congressional report contains testimony concerning reauthorization of the Domestic Volunteer Service Act, which authorizes and provides funding for the various national volunteer antipoverty programs, including Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA), the Service Learning Programs, and Special Volunteer Programs. Included among those persons…