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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (April 25, 2003)
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Asian Life Silk Mangos is an Asian American theatre group from UT Austin that provides an opportunity to entertain and inform students about Asian American issues through all aspects of the performing arts. SM ^Mangos The BIG Show Friday, April ZSth 8:00 - 9:30 put MSC 201 FREE admission ace.tamu.adu i -r Persons with disabilities please call (979) 845-1515 to inform us of your special needs. 8A NATIO Friday, April 25, 2003 THE BATTALIf House debates restructurin health and human service By Connie Mabin THE ASSOCIATED PRESS AUSTIN — Members of the Texas House began debating Thursday a bill that would restructure Texas’ health and human services system with heated discussion over proposed changes to punishments for wel fare families who do not meet work requirements. The proposal was among several contained in a complex, omnibus bill by Rep. Arlene Wohlgemuth that she says would save the state $1.1 billion over the next two years by changing eligibilty rules for var ious programs, eliminating duplication and paring down administration. She said the bill also would improve nursing homes by focusing on patient care rather than regulation. Some lawmak ers disagreed with those propos als, saying they would weaken nursing home accountability. GOP House leaders have already counted on money the bill would save in the $117.7 billion budget bill passed last week. “We are not getting all the federal funds we could get if we got organized,” Wohlgemuth said during debate that was expected to stretch into Friday. More than 100 amendments were filed for the 160-plus page bill that would consolidate Texas’ 12 health and human services departments into three. The bill would increase penalties for adults on welfare who don’t follow required work rules by cutting off their entire family’s cash benefits until they comply. Several Democrats argued against an amendment by Wohlgemuth that would have extended the penalty to include stopping Medicaid, child care and other state services. “The point is we want com pliance,” Wohlgemuth said. “We didn’t come up with this personal responsibility agree ment because it was just some thing to do.” We didn’t come up with this person al responsibility agreement because it was just some thing to do. -Arlene Wohlgemuth Rep. Texas House “We’re trying to get them to a better life and that includes the work requirements,” she said. Rep. Elliot Naishtat, D- Austin, said the proposed amendment was too harsh for very poor families. A family of three on the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program gets $166 monthly, he said. “I see no reason to be Draconian and harsh,” Naishtat said. “We don’t have to do that. If we cut off the financial assis tance we will get a positive response, I assure you of that.” Rep. Vilma Luna, D-Corpus Christi, said she agreed adults who get welfare should follow rules, but said the proposed amendment would unfairly pun ish children. “You are going to leaver totally unable to get heall or any other basic servitij Luna said. Wohlgemuth said planned to add exceptions!!) bill that would prevent sanctions as well as an apt! promises. No vote was immedit taken on the amendment. Earlier, Wohlgemuthatid low supporter Rep. ft Swinford, R-Amarillo, said legislation would makettiei system more manageable. “This is not a heiky-jt deal,” Swinford said. With a $9.9 billion stat clouding the legislativet| sion, Wohlgemuth’s bilh another by Swinford said save $1 billion have bee; among the top priorities GOP House Speaker li Craddick. “We need to see these) out becuase they’re major) for us revenue wise," s Craddick, who has pro® not to raise taxes. Texas spends $37.8 bi in state and federal money the 12 health and human';*: ices agencies that employ«| than 50,000 people. Wohlgemuth’s bill m consolidate those intro tte the Department of Apr Community, Disability i Long-term Care Servit Department of Health Servii and Department of Proteci and Regulatory Services. Some 1,400, mostly te level administrators, wou their jobs eliminated by under the bill. NEWS IN BRIEF Ashcroft: National security concerns keep aliens in detention WASHINGTON (AP) — Most illegal immigrants can be jailed indefinitely without bond when national security risks exist, Attorney General John Ashcroft has declared in a legal opinion. Immigration advocates are calling that an abuse of power in the name of fighting terrorism. The order means such aliens will not be released on bond while their cases are being decided by immigration judges if the government can show national security issues are involved. "Such national security considerations clearly constitute a reasonable foundation for the exer cise of my discretion to deny release on Ashcroft said in the 19-page opinion, signed last Friday. The opinion was requested by the Homelf Security Department, which now enforces! immigration laws, after the Board Immigration Appeals upheld a judge's deci to release Haitian asylum-seeker David Josi; on $2,500 bond. Cheryl Little, executive director of FloiJ Immigrant Advocacy Center, said Ashcrot opinion is the latest in a string of governmi decisions "manipulating our very se« national security concerns to justify t nationals of Haiti." 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