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U.S. House to Kids & Moms: Eat Cake

May 10, 2012

Washington - The U.S. House of Representatives today voted 218-199 to approve a federal budget “reconciliation” package (H.R. 5652) that would deepen cuts to America’s investments in children. This legislative package, approved just three days before Mother’s Day, cuts critical investments that help parents meet their children’s basic needs, including healthcare, nutrition, economic stability, childcare, and safety from abuse and neglect.

Politicians and Big Ag Kill Rule to Save Children’s Lives

April 27, 2012

Washington — Thursday, the U.S. Labor Department scuttled a proposed rule that would have saved the lives of 85 children every year and prevented thousands more children from grave injuries requiring hospitalization, by prohibiting corporate farms from assigning them to the most dangerous forms of agribusiness labor.

Protect Investments in Child Nutrition, Advocacy Group Tells Senate Committee

April 26, 2012

Washington – Tuesday, the bipartisan children’s advocacy organization First Focus Campaign for Children sent letters to every member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, asking that federal nutrition legislation scheduled for consideration by the committee today maintain the nation’s investment in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly Food Stamps).

In the News

Ryan budget hurts children

May 6, 2012
By Bruce Lesley
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (Wisconsin)

Advocates fear tax-credit rule will exclude some from health-care benefit

April 15, 2012
By Julie Appleby
The Washington Post

Advocates fear tax-credit rule will exclude some from health-care benefit

April 15, 2012
By Julie Appleby
The Washington Post

Advertisements

Support the Homeless Children and Youth Act

April 16, 2012
By First Focus Campaign for Children

Support the Homeless Children and Youth ActThis ad supporting the Homeless Children and Youth Act ran on April 16, 2012, in both Roll Call (page 10) and CQ Today (page 7). Learn more about this important legislation and urge Congress to help homeless kids now!

Protect BadgerCare

March 28, 2012

Protect BadgerCareThis ad ran in WisPolitics, Wisconsin's premier political e-newsletter, during the weeks immediately before and following the state's 2012 presidential primary election. We partnered with the Wisconsin Council for Children and Families to place the ad, which linked to a page urging policymakers and opinion leaders to reject threats to BadgerCare at the state and federal levels.

Champions for Children 2011

February 14, 2012
By Ed Walz

Champions for Children 2011Our ad recognizing Members of Congress who earned recognition as Champions for Children or Defenders of Children in 2011 ran in Capitol Hill newspapers on February 14, 2012. Learn more about our 2011 Champions for Children.

Top of Our List

Unaffordable Affordability in Health Care Reform?

March 12, 2012
By Sergio Eduardo Muñoz and Jennifer Ng’andu

Family Glitch It was one of the president’s most repeated selling points for health care reform: “If you like your health plan, you can keep it.” A selling point that acknowledged more than anything the 150 million American employees, 58% of the entire workforce, who have access to employer-sponsored health insurance (ESI) for themselves and their families and aren’t sure they want to mess with it.

Coalition Launches New Website to Help Homeless Kids

March 7, 2012
By Shannon Mott

HousingFirst Focus Campaign for Children is partnering with several organizations working to address the growing number of homeless children in our country. Together these organizations have supported the Homeless Children and Youth Act of 2011 (H.R. 32), which was introduced by Congresswoman Judy Biggert.

House Legislation on ESEA - Far from Ideal, Yet Gaining Traction

February 28, 2012
By Roberto Viramontes

Educators, school districts, governors, parents and other stakeholders have waited since 2007 for the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), currently called No Child Left Behind (NCLB). The U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions passed an ESEA reauthorization bill last October, and the U.S. House of Representatives will move their reauthorization bills toward a mark-up this week. In the meantime, the Obama Administration has issued ESEA waivers to 11 states, with more states applying this week.