This week will be the first opportunity for Washington to come back together after the presidential election. With dramatic changes in the presidential election, this week will be more than just plotting the rest of the 114th Congress. This will also be a planning stage for how the new leadership and the new Congress will
Since much of the President-elect Trump's agenda was wrapped less around specific domestic issues and more around the larger issues such as immigration and trade, it is not clear what the domestic policy agenda will look like. As a result, the priorities may be wrapped around a few big Trump initiatives and a Republican congressional
Nearly a month in the new fiscal year the fate of the FY 2017 budget is anything but certain. When the Congress returns on November 14, they must act on 11 of the 12 appropriations bills. Military Construction, separate from defense appropriations, is the only appropriations bill signed into law. Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WS) has
A new Child Trends survey of state child welfare spending shows a slight decrease in funding between 2012 to 2014 with a slightly bigger decrease in federal spending. The survey showed a continued pattern of great variations across the fifty states. A pattern that has existed since the first such surveys provided detail on spending
For the states that raised objections to parts of the Families First Act, specifically California, New York, Texas and Wyoming, the Child Trends survey gives some perspective. California and New York which raised serious concerns over the re-structuring both draw-down and spend significant amounts on child welfare. In 2014 California spent slightly more than $4
In the past week two discussions were taking place across the two houses of Congress that could dramatically effect budgets, entitlements and policies. In comments made at his regular press briefing, Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WS) made clear that he intends to use the budget reconciliation to adopt his conservative agenda if Donald Trump is President
Last week CWLA called on the Office of Management and Budget to include new funds in the 2018 budget to better address key child maltreatment strategies. The preparation of the 2018 budget is a placeholder for the new administration. The new President will be sworn in on January 20 and as a result the 2018
In regard to letters to OMB, CWLA has signed onto a letter by the Alliance to End Slavery and Trafficking (ATEST) in support of increased funding to address trafficking including prevention and treatment. The lengthy request covers a range of programs across the departments including the Victim Services Grants & Human Trafficking Task Forces, Minor
There was no vote on the Family First Prevention Services Act, (HR 5456, Conference Report 114-628) as Congress finished a budget deal last week Wednesday. As a result, the bill still remains in the same place. That means that it could be finished or dead for this Congress. There could be one more run at
Congress adopted a continuing resolution that will provide temporary FY ’17 funding to December 9. The CR was passed on Wednesday, September 28 and Congress adjourned until the November elections. The action came after a deal was struck on providing $170 million for Flint drinking water crisis. The Flint funding will not be adopted until