My name is Moira Stuart and I am writing to you in opposition to H.R 2179, The Drug Testing for Welfare Recipients Act. This bill proposes that individuals receiving SNAP (food stamps), TANF (cash welfare payments), Section 8 housing vouchers, and public housing be drug tested in order to receive benefits. If an individual fails one of these drug tests they will be ineligible for government aid until one of the following conditions is met: they complete drug treatment, test negative for drugs, or a year has passed from the time of the positive drug test. The bill also has a provision to ensure that the states will comply with these requirements. If a state does not drug test welfare recipients, they will lose 15% of the allocated funds for these welfare programs.

I am personally opposed to H.R 2179 and I would urge you to vote against this bill. H.R. 2179 violates the privacy and freedom of those on welfare programs. Drug testing the poor without cause criminalizes poverty. Safety net programs are meant to help the least of us survive and the right to food and shelter should not be revoked because of drug addiction. This bill mandates certain moral behaviors in return for basic necessities. Testimony from a Time Magazine article drives home this point, “Applying and being accepted for aid is a mentally grueling process that can stretch on for months. Add that to the humiliation of having to pee in a cup just because you can’t afford to eat”.

Drug testing for welfare programs has been shown to be ineffective when tried on the state level. According to Time Magazine, “when the state of Florida instituted drug testing for welfare recipients only 2.6% of applicants tested positive. Meanwhile Florida has an illegal drug use rate of 8%”. This testing in Florida cost the government an extra $45,780. These drug tests cost the government money and they uncover relatively few drug users.

 I would urge you to support the privacy and dignity of the poor by signing this petition to urge Congressman Doyle to vote against H.R 2179 if it comes to a vote.

Thank you,

Moira Stuart