On June 16, 2023, First Focus on Child held a webinar, “Keep Up the Fight to Improve the Tax Code for Kids,” to discuss the importance of restoring the improvements of the Child Tax Credit and Earned Income Tax Credit. Senator Brown (D-OH) explains the importance of the Child Tax Credit in his career and
The National Diaper Bank Network released a new report highlighting diaper need in the United States. From the report: “Families are considered to have diaper need when they cannot afford a supply of diapers adequate for changing at healthy intervals. Diaper need is a public health issue that threatens not only child health, but also
On June 7, 2023, Representatives Rosa DeLauro (D- CT), Suzan DelBene (D-WA), and Ritchie Torres (D-NY), reintroduced the American Family Act, legislation that would make permanent the expanded and improved monthly Child Tax Credit. The CTC was expanded as part of the American Rescue Plan Act, COVID-19 response legislation to help working families. The expansion
The Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee held a hearing on June 8, 2023 titled "Why Are So Many American Youth in a Mental Health Crisis?” exploring causes and solutions to examine the mental health issues youth face and the need for an improved infrastructure for mental health care. Chairman Bernie Sanders (I-VT)
On June 7, 2023, the House Agriculture Committee held a hearing entitled “Innovation, Employment, Integrity, and Health: Opportunities for Modernization in Title IV” to discuss how to proceed with the Farm Bill, which is set to expire later this year. Though children were not the main focus of this hearing, they make up a significant
On June 8, 2023, Ranking Member Bobby Scott (D- VA) and Workforce Protections Subcommittee Ranking Member Alma Adams (D-NC) sent a letter urging Chairwoman Virginia Foxx (NC-05) to hold a hearing on the rise of child labor violations and legislative proposals to address abusive child labor. “In short, the scourge of child labor that Congress
The National Family Support Network released the "Uncovering America's Best-Kept Secret: Family Centers Webinar," which created a comprehensive summary of the importance of Family Resource Centers (FRCs) and Family Resource Center Networks for children, youth, and families' health and well-being. FRCs commonly provide services around parenting support, parent leadership development, access to resources, child development
On Saturday, June 3rd, President Biden signed the debt limit bill, titled the Fiscal Responsibility Act, into law, one week after he and Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) had struck a deal on the details of the legislation and just ahead of the June 5th deadline. As reported last week, the bill raises
On May 31, 2023, the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee held a hearing focused on the stabilization funds for early childhood care centers that were initially disbursed as part of the American Rescue Plan following the COVID-19 pandemic. While Ranking Member Cassidy (R-LA) and other committee members expressed concerns that federal funding
The National Health Collaborative on Violence & Abuse (NHCVA) presented policy recommendations on mental health and substance-use-related effects of violence at a policy briefing on June 1, 2023. During the previous years, Congress has provided unprecedented financing for behavioral health programs and victim assistance. There was an emphasis on how to use the funds to