Congressmen Asked To Sample ‘Free’ Lunch

Surrounded by a few hundred homeless and needy people drawn to the Capitol lawn by a political rally offering soup and sandwiches, Rep. Tony Hall, D-Ohio, challenged his colleagues in Congress on Wednesday to do more volunteering.

The rally, put together by a Christian group called Bread for the World, was designed to illuminate the coming loss of food stamps for people who don’t have jobs starting April 1.

“We want to make the point that a million people who are looking for work are being thrown off welfare,” said David Beckmann, president of Bread for the World.

Hall said he sent letters to every other member of Congress Wednesday - the first time he’s ever done that - asking them to find more time to volunteer at homeless shelters.

Beginning April 1, welfare recipients between the ages of 18 and 50 who are able-bodied and have no dependents will have to spend 20 hours a week at work or in job training, or five hours a week doing community service, to remain eligible for food stamps.

After he signed the welfare bill last summer, President Clinton added a provision that allows cities and counties with high unemployment to apply for a waiver from this rule.