Joint hearings of two subcommittees of the House of Representatives, reflecting a continuation of previous field hearings, were held to receive additional testimony concerning the impact of the administration's proposed budget cuts on a broad range of health, nutrition, welfare, and educational programs serving children and their families. Five days of field hearings held previously in various cities in the United States led to the conclusion that, despite the President's assurances that the administration's plan preserves a safety net, major cuts have been made in those programs specifically designed to assist those least able to help themselves--children, working mothers, the handicapped, the disabled, and the elderly. These cuts have had greatest impact on those who are on the verge of self-sufficiency, pushing them back into total dependency. Private initiative and voluntarism cannot fill the void created by the cuts. Neither state nor local governments have the ability to meet the increased needs of their citizens occasioned by the budget cuts. (RH)