From the Pennsylvania Health Access Network (http://www.pahealthaccess.org):
As you know, General Assistance (GA) is under attack in the General Assembly. The bill that would end GA – HB 33 – is up for a vote this Monday in the PA House Health Committee. Here’s what we need you to do:
Reach out to Legislators:
Reach out to any legislators on the PA House Health Committee you have a relationship with and let them know you’re concerned about the GA program. You can find the list of committee members here. Please let legislators know that:
- GA serves PA’s most vulnerable populations, including people with disabilities, their caregivers, people in treatment for a substance use disorder, people fleeing domestic violence, and children being cared for by friends or neighbors;
- GA is a small, targeted, and temporary program;
- GA keeps people out of shelters; and
- GA typically functions as a loan — the state is reimbursed for GA funds when people are approved for SSI.
More information about the General Assistance program to discuss with legislators can be found here.
Join the Strategy Call this MONDAY:
Join PHAN and its partners for a strategy call on Monday (03/25) at 2:30pm. We will provide the latest updates on HB33 and how organizations can take action to preserve GA. The call-in number is 877-318-1586 (no code needed). We’ll send a reminder on Monday about the call.
Sign Up to Join us in Harrisburg on 3/27:
If you haven’t already, sign up to join us in dropping off our letter asking lawmakers to preserve GA. You can sign up here: https://pahealth.salsalabs.org/galetterdelivery031319/index.html
Christine Adams
I grew up on Welfare in Shippenville, Clarion County. Dad left when I was 6, my sister was 4, my brother was 2 and my baby sister was new. Not a one of us, that I know of was reliant on public help during our adulthoods. My brother worked all day before he went to the hospital to die, I married a union man, so I was a stay at home mom, later had a small business. Our two daughters were funded by the family for undergraduate school, they paid for graduate school. They are an MD, a doctor, and a professor. They have far surpassed what our little family cost PA so many years ago just by paying their taxes. That’s the way government should work for citizens. I have lived the American Dream, yet GOP politicians want to take help away from citizens. Cruelty like that is not justified. You are a public servant. You work for citizens. Blaming the victim is wrong! No one is perfect, no program has absolutely no problems. Help the poor among us. Your office has told me that you claim to be Christian. Jesus fed thousands, he healed untold numbers of people. Do the right thing. Don’t cut benefits. Matthew 25:31-46.