Senate Democrats are hopeful they can complete action on the COVID-19 relief/reconciliation legislation sometime late this week. The goal is to have a package on the President’s desk before extended unemployment runs out on March 14, 2021. There was a major setback for advancing a minimum wage increase as part of the package on
CWLA will be joining FRAC, the Coalition on Human Needs, MomsRising, NETWORK Lobby, the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, First Focus, many other leading anti-poverty organizations, and advocates across the country on Monday, February 22 for a Digital/Call-in Day of Action urging Congress to pass the American Rescue Plan. Follow CWLA’s Action Center
Congress appropriated $3.2 billion for the Federal Communication Commission (FCC) to develop a program to help U.S. households that are struggling with internet service during the pandemic. The Emergency Broadband Benefit will provide a discount of up to $50 per month towards broadband service for eligible households and up to $75 per month for those
Last week, nine House Committees acted on their parts of a reconciliation bill that will make up President Biden’s COVID-19 relief measure. Within the package are key CWLA priorities, including more than $39 billion in child care funding, year one of a Children’s Allowance, $350 billion in state and local government relief, $350 million more in
This past week the Senate and House began to lay the groundwork for a budget reconciliation that could lead to the enactment of a Biden-COVID-19 relief package. The House began the process when it passed a budget resolution that provides the legislative authority to use reconciliation on Wednesday, and the Senate took up that resolution
President Biden’s American Rescue Plan includes expanding of the Child Tax Credit (CTC) with recommendations that the credit be made fully refundable and that the maximum benefit be increased from the current level of $2,000 per child for children zero to 16 years old to $3,600 per child under six years old and $3,000 per child ages
On February 4, 2021, CLASP launched #WhyWeCantWait: A New Deal for Youth (ND4Y) calling leaders in the public and private sectors to support youth-led policy solutions that address the glaring economic and social injustices facing young people today. A New Deal for Youth will propose policy recommendations and community solutions developed by and centering the
The hearing and approval process of California Attorney General Xavier Becerra for Secretary of Health and Human Services is likely to start in mid-February. The HHS Secretary-designate goes before two Senate Committees, the Finance Committee, and the HELP Committee. The process has been slow, and in fact, until a final Senate shared power agreement
The 59th Presidential Inauguration for President Joe R. Biden, Jr. and Vice President Kamala D. Harris on Wednesday, January 20, 2021, will forever be a historical moment in U.S. History. Due to the insurrections on January 6, 2021, at the U.S. Capitol and the global pandemic, the inauguration was mostly virtual. Nearly 40 million Americans
One of the first critical decisions that will have to be worked out over the next several days is how President Biden will get his COVID-19 proposal through Congress. As a veteran senator who was also key to many of the Obama Administration’s congressional negotiations, he has raised hopes for bipartisan action, but that would