Bob Dole: “The contingency grant fund. This is in addition to the loan fund. We keep the loan fund at $1.7 billion. The contingency…”

“The contingency grant fund. This is in addition to the loan fund. We keep the loan fund at $1.7 billion. The contingency fund is $1 billion over 7 years. Funds must be matched at Medicaid matching rates, and States must have maintained their 1994 level on spending on title IV-A and IV-F programs. Limited additional funds are available for those States whose base years do not fully reflect subsequent adjustments related to emergency assistance. I understand that affects 12 States. I am not certain of the total cost of that provision, but I think around $900 million. The hardship exemption has been increased from 15 percent to 20 percent. There is $75 million per year for abstinence education. Program evaluation authorizes $20 million per year for evaluation. Food stamps. We worked out a provision which will save about $1.6 billion. In the food stamp program, the standard deduction for all food stamp recipients will be reduced from the original S. 1120. It stages from its current level of $134 in increments of $2 per year down to $124 in fiscal year 2000.”