Budget

The Senate Finance Committee on Paid Leave

The Senate Finance Committee held a hearing on October 25, 2023, entitled “Exploring Paid Leave: Policy, Practice, and Impact on the Workforce”. Committee Chairman Ron Wyden [D-OR] opened the hearing by talking about how crucial paid leave is to supporting the America workforce. Without it, Americans must decide between caring for loved ones and providing

House Ways and Means Subcommittee Hearing on Poverty

The House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Work and Welfare, held a hearing on October 24, 2023, to examine how the United States government measures poverty. The hearing titled, “How the Biden Administration Plans to Redraw the Poverty Line and Rob Resources from Rural America,” addressed suggestions provided to the government from the National Academy

Legislative Update

As of the writing of this update, the House of Representatives still has not elected a new Speaker to lead them. As we reported last week, Former Speaker Kevin McCarthy was voted out of the position following his successful bipartisan agreement to avoid a government shutdown. The Continuing Resolution that is currently funding the government

House Loses Precious Time While Awaiting Speaker Vote

On October 3rd, 2023, the House of Representatives removed Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) from his position of Speaker of the House, marking the first time in history that a Speaker has been voted out. Eight Republicans led the effort and were joined by the House Democrats. Representative Patrick McHenry (R-NC) was appointed as Speaker Pro Tempore,

Congress Averts Shutdown

After several weeks without making significant progress on a deal to keep the government running, Congress passed a bipartisan continuing resolution (CR) on Saturday, September 30, 2023, just hours before the end of the fiscal year. For much of last week, the House and the Senate were on two different paths. House Republicans were unable

Shutdown Looms in Final Week of Fiscal Year

Congress has just five days to negotiate and pass a bill to continue to fund the government after the end of the fiscal year on September 30th, 2023. Last weekend, leadership of both the House Freedom Caucus and House Main Street Caucus released a stopgap proposal, or continuing resolution (CR) that would temporarily fund the

CWLA Endorses: Bills to Support Children and Families

Child Poverty Reduction Act On September 21, 2023, Representative Danny K. Davis (D-IL), Representative Barbara Lee (D-CA), Representative Gerald E. Connolly (D-VA), Representative Sara Jacobs (D-CA), and U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) introduced the Child Poverty Reduction Act of 2023 to commit the nation to cutting child poverty by half in 5 years and to

First Focus Releases 2023 Children’s Budget Book

On Friday, September 22, 2023, First Focus on Children released its annual Children’s Budget Book in a live event hosted by the Senate Budget Committee. Chairman Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) opened the event, stating, “there is no better investment the Federal government can make than in children and families. We save $7 for every $1 we

Child Poverty More than Doubled in 2022

On September 11, 2023, the United States Census Bureau released Poverty in the United States: 2022, the annual report that measures the economic wellbeing of households, families, and individuals in the United States. This report provides estimates of two measures of poverty: the official poverty measure and the Supplemental Poverty Measure (SPM); the SPM is

Congress Returns to Big Challenges Ahead

The Senate returned from recess last Monday, September 4, 2023, and the House will return to Washington, D.C. this week to resume work on the numerous legislative priorities before them, the most pressing of which is finding a way to fund the government past September 30th, the end of the fiscal year. With just about

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