Child Trends released a brief on the impact of cash assistance, like the Earned Income Tax Credit and the Child Tax Credit, for families with infants and toddlers that have low incomes. Cash assistance is one way to supplement incomes and address the economic burdens these families face. The brief contained evidence-based conclusions on the
Congress was back from recess last week and the Appropriations Committees have hit the ground running, particularly in the House, where the deadline for members to submit their requests is March 24th, 2023. This week, in anticipation of the release of the President's budget on Thursday, March 9th, 2023, the House Appropriations Committee will hold
On March 1, 2023, The House Subcommittee on Crime and Federal Government Surveillance held a hearing titled, “The Fentanyl Crisis in America: Inaction is No Longer an Option.” Under the jurisdiction of the House Judiciary committee, the subcommittee is led by Chairman Biggs [R-AZ] and Ranking Member Lee [D-TX]. In 2021, over 107,000 people in
On February 28, 2023, the Senate Judiciary Committee hosted a hearing entitled, “The Equal Rights Amendment: How Congress Can Recognize Ratification and Enshrine Equality in Our Constitution.” Presiding Chair, Senator Dick Durban (D-IL), led the hearing and was followed by two rounds of panelists and a period of Q&A time with committee members. The hearing
On February 28, 2023, the Care Can’t Wait Coalition hosted a Day of Action on Columbus Circle. The coalition advocates for the trifecta of aging and disability care, paid leave, and childcare and is promoting the Child Care for Working Families Act and the Paid Family and Medical Leave Act. The Day of Action featured
The House Committee on Homeland Security held its first hearing of the 118th Congress on February 28, 2023, titled, “Every State is a Border State: Examining Secretary Mayorkas’ Border Crisis.” Under the leadership of Chairman Mark Green (R-TN) and Ranking Member Bennie Thompson (D-MS), this hearing discussed contemporary immigration policies at the U.S. Southern Border
The Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP) and the Community Partnership Group published their priorities for the reauthorization of the FARM Bill and a guide for how this Congress must reshape SNAP policies. Currently SNAP policies “...focu[s] too narrowly on individual choice and behavior…rather than eradicating the underlying causes of poverty and hunger.” Their
On March 1, 2023, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) celebrated the fifth anniversary of the Family First Prevention Services Act (FFPSA) with an in-person gathering and a livestream, available here. Assistant Secretary January Contreras opened the event by welcoming federal partners, state, territorial and tribal leaders, other partners, and those with lived
On Tuesday, February 21, 2023, the Biden Administration proposed a new rule that would reduce the number of refugees that are able to seek asylum in the United States. Under this rule, most asylum seekers who cross into the United States between ports of entry or who present themselves at a port of entry without
On February 22nd, 2023, Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Susan Collins (R-ME) released a call to action regarding housing for youth in the foster care system who are transition age. Both senators are members of the Congressional Coalition on Adoption, of which Senator Klobuchar serves as the co-chair, which is the largest bipartisan, bicameral caucus