Shaquita Ogletree On May 22, the Hill newspaper sponsored another of their series of forums on opioids, America’s Opioid Epidemic: Youth Awareness & Prevention. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) spoke about her state having the highest opioid death rate per capita in the United States and how the state is struggling with the multiple families
Last week, Senate Appropriations Committee Chair, Senator Richard Shelby (R-AL) joined with Ranking Member, Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT) to announce an orderly schedule to move all appropriations bills through their respective Senate subcommittees. On the Senate side of Congress, there is some positive thought that they can move appropriations in an orderly and in an
The Children’s Bureau has released instructions (ACYF-CB-PI-18-05) on how states can draw down $20 million in FY 2018 Kinship Navigator funds. The $20 million was added as part of the March-approved FY 2018 appropriations bills. It was attached to Title IV-B part 2, Promoting Safe and Stable Families. Unlike the Kinship-Navigator funds (which require programs
The House Ways and Means Committee has released for debate and vote a TANF reauthorization. It is anticipated that the vote will take place this Wednesday. The announcement of the latest bill came last Thursday and would set a vote two weeks after the Human Resources Subcommittee released an initial draft. The bill makes superficial
Shaquita Ogletree A House Appropriations Subcommittee approved a fiscal year 2019 Commerce, Justice, Science (CJS) Appropriations bill (32-19) last week. The bill contains $62.5 billion in total discretionary funding for CJS programs, an increase of $2.9 billion from FY18 levels. CJS Subcommittee Chairman John Culberson stated that the increase in fiscal 2019 bill ensures investments
The Administration has sent up their package of rescissions totaling approximately $15 billion. The proposal, which must be acted on by appropriations committees to become effective, largely targets funds that have not yet spent. The biggest piece is CHIP reserve funds of approximately $7 billion. The funds are there in reserve in part to offset
With less than three weeks before the Memorial Day break, the House majority is preparing to use the less than 14 legislative days to flex their muscle with a range of new work requirements in anti-poverty programs. The efforts will focus on nutrition programs, targeting SNAP, but they will also look at housing services including
The Child Welfare League of America has joined onto opposition to H.R. 2, an agriculture reauthorization bill that extends nutrition programs including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) program. The letter CWLA has signed onto urges Members of Congress to vote no. The letter was written jointly by First Focus and the Children’s Leadership Council.
In preparation for Thursday afternoon Capitol Hill visits, CWLA members and state advocates came together on Wednesday afternoon to hear from a series of Washington D.C. speakers who addressed some of the latest issues and policies including the Family First Act. Associate Commissioner, Children’s Bureau, Jerry Milner offered the group some initial comments and engaged
Also addressing the Wednesday CWLA gathering were four key legislative staffers from the House Ways and Means Committee and the Senate Finance Committee. The bipartisan group included Anne DeCesaro, House Republican Staff, Morna Miller, House Democratic staff, Laura Berntsen, Senator Ron Wyden, and Ryan Martin, Senator Orrin Hatch. The bipartisan group used a power point