US Rep. Joe Crowley (D-Queens, the Bronx) and NYC Department for the Aging Commissioner Lilliam Barrios-Paoli will speak out against House Republicans’ efforts to eliminate the Social Services Block Grant (SSBG) program, which would significantly harm NYC’s seniors, persons with disabilities, children, and middle-class families. Today’s event will take place @ 11AM at Elmhurst Jackson Heights Senior Center, one of the senior centers that is at risk of losing funding under the Republican plan.
Last week, House Republicans put forward legislation to permanently eliminate SSBG, jeopardizing vital support for the country’s most vulnerable populations. New York City primarily uses SSBG to fund senior centers, domestic violence services, and adult protective services. Eliminating SSBG would mean a cut of $63.9 million per year for the City.
Republicans on the House Ways and Means Committee, which Rep. Crowley sits on, have put forward legislation to permanently eliminate the Social Services Block Grant program, jeopardizing vital support for children, the elderly and the disabled to help pay for tax cuts for the very wealthy.
The Social Services Block Grant (SSBG) was signed into law by President Reagan in 1981 to provide states and local communities with a flexible funding source to meet challenging social service needs. Despite the need for this program, annual funding for the SSBG has declined in nominal terms from $2.8 billion in 1995 to $1.7 billion today.