Bill Statistics

The Middle Class Position

The middle class supports.

How They Voted

78% with middle class
20% against middle class
2% did not vote
Pie Chart

Grades

Grade C
Senate

The Senate receives a grade of C for its support of the middle class on this piece of legislation.

78 Senators voted for the middle-class position; 20 voted against.

See how each member voted on this bill:

Senate

S.AMDT. 2937 TO H.R. 4

Amendment to Provide Additional Funding for Child Care of 2003

in
Introduced:
03.29.2004 [House]
Senate: Yea-78, Nay-20
Amendment passed and was amended to HR 4, but the overall bill did not pass the Senate.
The Legislation: 

The Amendment to Provide Additional Funding for Child Care in the Personal Responsibility and Individual Development for Everyone (PRIDE) Act addresses a significant flaw of the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) reauthorization bill by increasing the amount of federal funding directed to states over the next 5 years by $6 billion for childcare services for children under the age of 13.

The Middle-Class Position: 

The Middle Class Supports: For struggling Americans, TANF provides a vital support system allowing those on a fixed income to balance the responsibilities of work, education, and caring for small children. In 2003, low-income single working mothers spent as much as half of their cash income on childcare. By increasing the amount of federal aid to states to provide working mothers with additional child care resources, this amendment addresses one of the most formidable and expensive obstacles faced by low-income parents in climbing their way into the middle class.

From the Experts: 

“While it takes good, reliable and affordable child care to make going to work possible, it takes decent pay and health care benefits to make it worth it to shoulder the additional pressures and stresses over the longer haul… The long-term success of welfare reform hinges on whether or not women can pull themselves and their families out of poverty through employment. But this goal will remain elusive if the request for individual responsibility is not matched with access to affordable child care and good quality jobs.” – Heather Boushey, Economist, Economic Policy Institute (July 19, 2002)

“The Bush administration excuses the increase in poverty rates over the past two years as a side effect of a nation emerging from a recession, but we know that the increase is due to a deliberate government policy to encourage and reward states who kick poor women off welfare regardless of whether they have stable employment, safe and decent childcare and living conditions or are paid enough to support their families.” – Kim Gandy, President, National Organization of Women (September 30, 2003)

Beyond this Bill: 

Most Americans acknowledge the importance of work. With few marketable skills and the responsibility of caring for children while on a fixed income, many low-income single parents have trouble holding well-paying jobs. That’s why this amendment to the PRIDE Act should be supported. But, the PRIDE Act itself remains problematic: it limits recipients’ ability to substitute hours enrolled in college-level classes for the work hours required by TANF, depriving low-income Americans of their best chance for economic mobility and a middle-class life. Until those shortcomings are rectified, the PRIDE Act should be opposed.

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