Pennsylvania Bill Would Reduce Welfare Benefits For Women Who Cannot Prove They Were Raped
Source: ThinkProgress
A Pennsylvania House bill seeks to limit the amount of TANF assistance that low-income women receive based on the amount of children they give birth to while covered under the program.
Despite the fact that low-income women who give birth to children would logically need increased assistance to care for their larger family, Pennsylvania lawmakers — State Reps. RoseMarie Swanger (R), Tom Caltagirone (D), Mark Gillen (R), Keith Gillespie (R), Adam Harris (R), and Mike Tobash (R) — don’t want their state’s welfare program to provide additional benefits for that newborn. If a woman gives birth to a child who was conceived from rape, she may seek an exception to this rule so that her welfare benefits aren’t slashed, but only if she can provide proof that she reported her sexual assault and her abuser’s identity to the police:
In determining the amount of assistance payments to a recipient family of benefits under the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) Program, the department shall revise the schedule of benefits to be paid to the recipient family by eliminating the increment in benefits under the program for which that family would otherwise be eligible as a result of the birth of a child conceived during the period in which the family is eligible for benefits under the TANF Program. [...]
Elimination of benefits under subsection (d) shall not apply to any child conceived as a result of rape or incest if the department: (1) receives a non-notarized, signed statement from the pregnant woman stating that she was a victim of rape or incest, as the case may be, and that she reported the crime, including the identity of the offender, if known, to a law enforcement agency having the requisite jurisdiction or, in the case of incest where a pregnant minor is the victim, to the county child protective service agency and stating the name of the law enforcement agency or child protective service agency to which the report was made and the date such report was made.
Read more: http://thinkprogress.org/health/2012/10/24/1083101/proposed-bill-food-stamp-benefits-raped/
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vaginas and uteri.
I have a disabled friend who is a rape survivor and all these RW nuts saying stupid things about rape and rape survirors in just a few months just enrages me!!! 
More of the same...punish those without a lobbyist or any political power, cow-tow to the influential...I wish they spent this much time getting in the short hairs of Clean Air & Water violators, deceptive bankers, payday lenders, pick your constituent. Really screwed up priorities PA...way to go! And here I was embarrassed all our governors here in IL are in jail lol!
Now, the State can determine how much each welfare recipient will get, but the Federal Government will pay 50% of what the state sets, PROVIDED the "State Plan" for TANF is accepted by the Federal Government. If the plan is NOT accepted, it must be adjusted if the State wants reimbursed not only for the Cash Amounts but also any Medical care paid for by the State for the Welfare Recipient.
Notice the requirement that the plan meets FEDERAL SPECIFICATIONS, if it does not the Plan has to be amended. The agency that determines if the State Plan meets Federal Requirement is the Federal Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). There is no appeal from a HHS determination, thus if the plan contains a clause in violation of Federal Law, the State will NOT get any reimbursement (i.e. the State will have to assume all welfare costs).
In Pennsylvania the Welfare grant for a "Budget Group" (The state name for a "Family"
of one, the PA Welfare amount is $226 in Philadelphia, $206 in Pittsburgh, $174 in Johnstown, the rest of the Counties in the State has between the Pittsburgh and Johnstown amounts. The Federal Government thus will pay $113 to the State for every TANF recipient in Philadelphia, $103 for each one in Pittsburgh and $ 87.5o for each recipient in Johnstown PLUS one half of the State reimbursements for Medical Costs.
Now, under the Affordable Care act (Obama-care) the Federal Government will pay 100% of the medical cost for those people on Welfare but that kicks in next year.
There is no way the State will accept all the costs of Welfare nor will it cut off Welfare to Women with dependent Children (the only groups eligible for the Federal TANF program). Thus this is political grandstanding, nothing more.
He's my stinkin', little weasel of a rep, grandstanding for his base.
He is running unopposed in November. I'll be doing a write-in vote.
