Child Poverty
On Tuesday, September 22, the Children’s Defense Fund, First Focus on Children, and the U.S. Child Poverty Action Group are hosting a webinar from 2:00 pm – 3:15 pm EST entitled 2019 Census Child Poverty Data and What COVID-19 Means for Kids.
Child Poverty
The COVID relief bill brought to the floor today was an unserious proposal that offered little more than an insult to the millions of families that are continuing to suffer the impacts of this pandemic. Despite the failure of the bill, some Senate Republicans are preparing to head home instead of negotiating a proper package with the Democratic minority. That’s unacceptable.
Child Poverty
CDC and HHS announced an order to prohibit most evictions nationwide for the rest of the year, which will provide some protection for the 30 to 40 million renters at risk of losing their homes by the end of the year but does not provide them with any resources to cover back rent, utilities, or fees. If nothing more is done, this action will simply postpone, not prevent, the coming wave of evictions. Congress and the White House must return to work and pass key housing provisions.
Child Health
We will continue to demand accountability and systemic change on behalf of Black children and families across this country. We urge elected officials at all levels of government to enact policy that pushes further and to seek radical change to dismantle the systems that create tragedies like these.
Child Poverty
Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), the nation’s core cash assistance program, turns 24 years old this week. And since birthdays are a natural occasion for self-reflection, this presents the perfect opportunity to highlight why TANF must be strengthened to fight for racial justice and help families afford their basic needs.
Child Poverty
President Trump signed four executive actions on Saturday that not only side-step Congress and potentially violate the Constitution, but do very little to provide meaningful relief for the children, families, and communities suffering from the health and economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. The House passed the HEROES Act in May but the Senate and the Trump Administration’s delays and unwillingness to negotiate have only worsened the impact of the pandemic and left families without critical support. Rather than an overreach of executive power and executive actions that do very little, we need immediate congressional action on a relief package with meaningful benefits and adequate funding.
Child Health
Rather than investing in a militarized border, wasteful Pentagon spending, or tax breaks for the wealthiest corporations, we must invest in our children, families, and Black and Brown communities amid ongoing health and economic uncertainties. The measure of our moral and economic priorities should be how we uplift our children and increase prosperity for the millions of children who want to learn, grow, and succeed.
Child Poverty
For decades, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) has delivered quality nutrition services in community-based clinical settings to improve pregnancy and birth outcomes and promote healthy child development. In order to sustain much-needed program modifications to provide services throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, we urge that any final legislative package that responds to the public health and economic crises include an extension of USDA waiver authority for WIC services through at least September 30, 2021.