Congress returns this week in what is likely to be a challenging next four to five weeks. Congress will have to deal with funding for the current fiscal year, deal with a new full budget which covers the 2018 appropriations, and potentially wrestle with a new push by the Trump Administration on a repeal of
A new letter, which CWLA has signed onto, is urging Congress to act on a Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) reauthorization soon. The letter, circulated by First Focus and the Children’s Defense Fund, is open to national, state and local groups can be read here and signed onto here. Funding for CHIP is set to
Last week the Senate Caucus on Foster Youth held a panel presentation and discussion on, Financial Literacy and Consumer Credit Issues facing Transition-Age Youth. Participants included: Carol Behrer, Executive Director of the Youth Policy Institute of Iowa (YPII) a state organization focused on improving youth policy and practice, particularly as it relates to system-involved and
Just before the spring recess committees in both houses took a go at moving a reauthorization of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Protection Act (JJDPA). The last time the JJDPA was reauthorized was in 2002 with the current programs operating without an authorization since 2007. In July 2016, the Senate Judiciary Committee had taken the
With Congress headed into a two-week break, it will be the biggest opportunity for voters to meet their member since last year’s election. Go visit your Member of Congress at the next town hall! Families USA has a calendar that can tell you when your Member of Congress is back home and ready to hear
On Wednesday, March 29, CWLA members gathered in Washington for the annual CWLA National Conference. After the morning policy seminar members were charged up by Congressman Joseph Kennedy III (D-MA). The Congressman has become an outspoken champion of protecting the ACA in particular the expanded access to mental health and substance use treatment. In his
Last week congressional leaders were sounding off about the need to finish the FY 2017 budget at the end of this month without a government shut-down. With Democrats signaling that they would oppose any FY 17 appropriation bill that included the President’s $2 to $3 billion down payment to start a wall, Republican leaders were
With Congress headed into a two-week break, it will be the biggest opportunity for voters to meet their member since last year’s election. Go visit your Member of Congress at the next town hall! Families USA has a calendar that can tell you when your Member of Congress is back home and ready to hear
With some Congressional Republicans suggesting that a repeal of the ACA is still front and center it will not likely happen when the Congress returns after the spring break. With the CR funding due for resolution within days of reconvening, a full FY 2018 budget release in Mid-May, and a desire to do a tax
CWLA members were part of the masses that flooded Capitol Hill with calls and outreach in the past several weeks but especially last week. Earlier this month, CWLA sent a letter to Capitol Hill opposing the American Health Care Act. In the letter, CWLA President and CEO Chris James-Brown pointed out the importance of expanded
