Speaking outside a Charleston conference titled "The Impact of Conflict and Uncertainty on Social Welfare Policy," Clyburn said he is worried that all the new government spending in the war on terrorism will threaten social welfare.

In the past two years, the government has earmarked billions of dollars for a new homeland security network and billions more to rebuild war-torn Iraq. Some are calling for another $50 billion or so to replace an antiquated electric grid after the biggest blackout in history.

"Absolutely, I'm concerned, big time," Clyburn said.

Clyburn, a Democrat whose district includes parts of Charleston County, said his biggest worry is that government policies are "squeezing out the middle class" as the rich gain benefits. For instance, he said, the richest 1 percent of Americans controlled less than 20 percent of the nation's wealth 25 years ago but now control more than 40 percent.

Clyburn's observation is backed up by a widely cited study by economist Edward Wolff of New York University. As the rich get richer, the middle class gets poorer, the study said.

The federal government has allocated about 7 percent of the national budget to social programs -- other than Medicare and Social Security -- for years. Leon Ginsberg, interim dean of the University of South Carolina's School of Social Work, expects that to continue, he said in an interview. But the federal government is likely to push off any request for new funding to states, and states have been pushing off more funding to local governments or the private sector, Ginsberg said.

About 160 social workers and educators attended the conference, which was sponsored by the School of Social Work.

Clyburn also said he was skeptical of President Bush's faith-based initiative, a plan to let churches use federal money for social work. Clyburn was especially critical of a federal grant recently given to the historic Old North Church in Boston, the site from which Paul Revere launched his famous ride in 1775. Clyburn said the grant blurs the distinction between social work and worship.

"That, to me, is where you are going to have chaos," he said. "You are tumbling into an abyss here."

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