On February 12, the Senate approved, by unanimous consent, a bill (S. 1786) to reauthorize programs aimed at poverty reduction and prevention. The Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee approved the measure on October 29 (see The Source, 11/31/03).
Sponsored by Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN), the Poverty Reduction and Prevention Act of 2003 would reauthorize the Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) for six years and increase the maximum eligibility level for the program from 125 percent of the federal poverty level to 60 percent of the state median income. The bill does not include the faith-based provisions that the House approved on February 4 (see The Source, 2/6/03).
S. 1786 would reauthorize for eight years the Assets for Independence Act (P.L. 105-285), a program intended to help low-income families save money for home purchases, college tuition, and small business capitalization. The measure would increase authorized funding for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) from $2 billion to $3.4 billion through 2006 and also would authorize the program at an unspecified funding level through 2010.
