TANF Benefits

NEWS RELEASE    ---     From the Office of Representative Shelley Keeney - 156^th District

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:	CONTACT:    Rep. Shelley Keeney
January 24, 2011	(573) 751-5912

TANF Benefits

This week, our work in the House continued to move quickly as we advanced common-sense legislation to help Missouri’s families.  House Bill 73 passed the house by a vote of 121-37 and requires a drug test for recipients of some state aid.

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (or TANF) was created to provide needy families with cash assistance while attempting to find employment as part of the welfare-to-work concept which passed into federal law in 1997.  In Missouri, there are approximately 35,000 families or 85,000 people that receive TANF benefits each month.  The average monthly family disbursement is approximately $292. 

While this program means well, these benefits are distributed to whoever is registered as the child’s parent; and unfortunately, there are some parents who spend the money on themselves while that money is truly meant to feed their child.

In the past, none of these TANF recipients were tested for illegal drugs as a condition of receiving their money.  Most people can’t get a job today without taking a drug test, yet those who would live off of the work of others are not made to take this same test – it simply doesn’t make a lot of sense.

Simply put, we can do better and we should do better.  If we are going to decide to give assistance to needy families, there must be some accountability to the taxpayers.  I feel like one of our greatest responsibilities is to taxpayers and not addressing this issue is abusing the compassion of all those Missourians whose hard-earned dollars are helping these families get by.

It is time we took a stand and in the Missouri House of Representatives we have taken the first step.  Please join me in supporting HB 73 as it moves to the Senate and hopefully lands on the Governor’s desk for approval.

Thanks to everyone who came out to the Mobile Food Bank in Marble Hill on Saturday.  You helped make it a success and I appreciate you taking the time to assist those in our community who may need a little extra help from their friends and neighbors.

If you would like to receive my weekly updates via electronic E-Mail, please let me know by sending an email to: Shelley.Keeney@house.mo.gov

As always, I appreciate hearing your comments, opinions and concerns about state government.  Please feel free to contact me in Jefferson City at (573) 751-5912. You may write me at: Shelley Keeney; Missouri House of Representatives; State Capitol, Room 313; Jefferson City, MO 65101-6806.