OEO STATEMENT SIGNERS continued National Council on Aging National Council of Catholic Women National Council of Churches National Council of Negro Women National Council of OEO Locals National Dental Association National Farmer's Union National Federation of Settlements and Neighborhood Centers National Jewish Welfare Board National Legal Aid and Defender Association National Medical Association National Medical Association Women's Auxiliary National Rural Housing Coalition Rational Urban Coalition National Urban League National Sharecroppers Fund National Student Association National Tenants Organization National Vista Alliance National Welfare Rights Organization OEO Local 2677 American Federation of Government Employees Washington Office Southwest Council of La Raza U.S. Catholic Conference, SW Regional Office, Division for the Spanish Vernon Jordon, Exec. Director, United Negro College Fund, Inc. Women's International League for Peace and Freedom National Board of the YWCA of the U.S.A. Zero Population Growth, Inc. SIA DEMENT IN FROKEE OF CEC The cffice of Economic Deparmanday is the only federal agen: list of glancy supplement and coordinat titate the paradox of concuted, strengthened existe efforts como as a symbol of the fed government & lasting docent to the war on poverty and as federal rallying pole around was poor and disadvantaged p can command atte At the local level. CEC has helped poor peop. processes of the boaris of neighborhood com agencles, therecy con only action and other relat share in the planning and deci They, as well as others, se mity action agencies a ag one of the largest vol action efforts in the country. Their pas on has helpe social services and agencies, both grolle and private, moze to the needs of poor people, and therefore more efficient and In helping to determine the use and allocation of significan money, they and their community action agencies are exercise impressive degree of sound judgment and responsibility. and successful effort ation is the heart o CEC anti-poverty program. This Through its research and dencast ation activities, CEC has in and supported innovative projects that are gradually becoming accepted part of public and private social and economic polic Through VISTA it has afforded young Americans the opportunity help bring about necessary changes within the system. It has formed and still performs functions as an advocate of the poor institutional gadfly that other agencies, public or private, implement or duplicate. No other organi ation has done more champion the importance of the non-professional in our societ has generated leadership opportunities for minority representa and poor people unmatched by any other agency or institution. We believe that the office of Economic Opportunity must be per to build on this impressive record. It must continue to focus national attention on the needs of the poor. The lessons of t past should be used to give CEC a new vitality. Will CEC be able to carry out its mission under the structural fiscal changes that are currently being proposed? Administration Plans The Administration plans to relegate OEO to a poverty research and evaluation organization by spinning off all operational programs to other federal agencies. These include community action agencies, Indian and migrant programs, comprehensive medical centers, special mpact economic development projects, and VISTA programs. The Emergency Food and Medical program will be terminated after FY 1972. The management of community action agencies will be transferred to the croposed Department of Community Development. By January 1973 Community action agencies will become entirely dependent for their existence on local political jurisdictions through revenue sharing. They will have to compete with other programs in the local market place. Federal guidelines and monitoring would be eliminated. The FY 1972 budget reflects a diminished concern for current antipoverty needs and the demand for community action at the local level. The request for FY 1972 is $116 million less than this year's appropriation. Community action agencies will receive approximately $22 million less than last year, though inflation and traditional salary and other increases have considerably raised the cost of CAP operations. The special impact program for economic development corporations has been reduced about $10 million. Research, demonstration and evaluation activities will get only $70-80 million, some $40 million less than that appropriated last year. This latter allocation is not consistent with the President's call two years ago for a major poverty innovation program. Implications of the Administration's Plans The above proposals and the limited budget strike at the core of CEO's mission. They question and threaten four of the Agency's major functions. CEO as an Advocate Agency for the Poor OEO is currently the only identifiable federal vehicle through which the poor can express their concerns and needs. To deprive them now of this focus and rallying point would be both irresponsible and a retrogressive step in the war on poverty. The The conversion of the agency into a poverty research and evaluation organization means abandoning the concept of an active advocacy structure for the poor within the federal government. strength of OEO lies in its broad strategic approach, combining national with local initiative programs, research and demonstration with operational projects, public with private sector efforts and professional with non-professional personnel. A research, demonstration and evaluation unit, without operational programs and without a local outreach and constituency, cannot be a strong advocate. Its mission would, to a great extent, preclude advocacy. Nor can effective advocacy come from a community action bureau buried within a huge new department or a traditional agency for whom poverty problems could not be the major concern. 2. National Responsibility for Community Action at the Loca a The Office of Economic Opportunity and its anti-poverty were created precisely because local political jurisdict not sensitive or responsive to the needs of their poor populations. Local sensitivity has not improved signifi enough to warrant shifting total responsibility back to jurisdictions. than We contend that community action agencies in a large ma We believe that a national anti-poverty effort should not 000 as an Instrument tion and We believe that the transter of CE oper Community II Kencies serie is ericles for other fede STAT 4. The Provision of Adequate Funds for the War on Poverty We view the budget as totally inadequate to meet the Agency's mission and the national commitment to eradicate poverty. One of the reasons community action programs have had serious difficulties is that they have been financially starved. More, not less, money for community action and other programs is urgently needed. Recommendations For 1. It is in the national interest that OEO, community action and related anti-poverty programs be strengthened and expanded. this reason we recommend the extension of the EOA Act for at least two years with whatever amendments may be needed to fortify the agency's original mission and current requirements. 2. In view of the need for a strong, diversified central agency that can effectively serve as an advocate for the poor and the need for strengthened local initiative programs, we advocate that no OEO program component, especially community action programs, should be either terminated or transferred to another agency without prior Congressional approval. 1. CEC's budget should reflect a much higher level of funding, particularly for community action, special impact and innovation programs that have been severely cut in the Administration's FY 1972 budget. 4. The legal services program should be strengthened and expanded within the EOA Act. Its integrity and non-political character must be preserved through the joint efforts and administration of the legal profession and community people who are its beneficiaries. Legal services programs should be inexorably tied to community action at the local level. 5. The VISTA program should be preserved and maintained as an integral part of the Office of Economic Opportunity. 5. The local share for community action and other OEO programs should not be raised to 25%. Such action can only endanger the development of local initiative programs. |