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LEGISLATIVE UPDATE2/8/2006 FY 2007 Bush Budget and ChildrenThis past Monday, February 6, the President submitted his FY 2007 budget to Congress. This proposed budget continues a recent trend of attacks against the support systems for abused and neglected children by cutting $500 million from the Social Services Block Grant (SSBG), and by removing the federal guarantees currently in place to provide federal foster care assistance to every eligible child in need of those services.
This proposal comes just one week after Congress cut nearly $600 million in federal foster care assistance for abused and neglected children being cared for by grandparents and other relatives.
The President’s proposed drastic cut in SSBG is a direct threat to the ability of states to provide services to abused and neglected children. Since 1998, federal funding for SSBG has consistently faced declining support resulting in fewer children receiving services. SSBG accounts for 12% of all federal child welfare funding. These dollars allow states to provide child abuse prevention services, adoption, foster care, child protection, independent and transitional living, and residential services for children and youth.
Additionally, the President again has proposed to restructure the current federal Title IV-E foster care program in the form of a capped block grant. This approach in the FY 2007 budget is also shortsighted in that it does not provide states with the appropriate support to close the gap between the resources available and what children need to be safe from abuse and neglect and to have permanent families.
CWLA will continue the "No Caps on Kids!" campaign on Capitol Hill to make sure the voices of children, youth, and families, and those agencies that serve them, are heard. Over the next several months, we will provide you "No Caps on Kids!" legislative alerts, updates and analysis that outline specific actions you can take to ensure that your elected officials know that funding limits or cuts for programs that serve abused and neglected children and their families is unacceptable.
Our national conference, Children 2006: Securing Brighter Futures, to be held later this month, will be the ideal opportunity for you to carry the "No Caps on Kids!" message directly to your members of Congress. It is critical for members of Congress to hear from you what they can do to improve the lives of children and families. To gain more information as to how you can participate in Hill Day visit: Hill Day.
To review CWLA's summary of the President’s FY 2007 budget priorities and a chart outlining funding for selected children’s programs, please visit CWLA’s website:
FY 2007 Bush Budget & Children
FY 2007 Funding for Selected Children's Programs Chart
If you have any other questions, contact CWLA Government Affairs at 202/638.2952
© Child Welfare League of America. The content of these publications may not be reproduced in any way, including posting on the Internet, without the permission of CWLA. For permission to use material from CWLA's website or publications, contact us using our website assistance form.
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