On Wednesday, July 26, 2022, the House Committee on Education and Labor held a markup on H.R. 8450, Healthy Meals, Healthy Kids Act. The Committee advanced the bill by a vote of 27 to 20, with no Republicans in favor. This act would update and reauthorize child nutrition programs which include the school and summer
On Thursday, July 21, 2022, the Child Welfare League of America, alongside Youth Villages, hosted an open mic to discuss the Access to Foster Care to 21 Act, sponsored by Representative Judy Chu (D-CA). Kristen Torres, from Representative Chu’s Office, joined the call to provide a basic overview. This bill, which was introduced last month,
On July 20, 2022, House Education and Labor Committee Chairman Bobby Scott (D-CA) released the Healthy Meals, Healthy Kids Act, his Child Nutrition Reauthorization bill. The Food Research and Action Center (FRAC) and other anti-hunger advocates have hailed the legislation, calling it a "comprehensive plan that will increase access to school meals, summer meals, and
On July 13, 2022, Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR) Representative Karen Bass (D-CA), and Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) introduced the bicameral Children’s Safe Welcome Act. This bill establishes new standards to ensure that the safety and well-being of migrant children in government custody are prioritized, embedding best practices into every stage of
As we reported previously, on Wednesday, June 29th, 2022, the House Committee on Appropriations released its Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill. Within this bill, the Committee allotted billions of dollars towards community projects for organizations and programs that address priorities on both sides of the aisle. Specifically,
On Thursday, June 30th the House Appropriations Committee held a markup on the Labor-HHS FY2023 Appropriations bill, the budget bill that covers the Administration of Children and Families. The bill passed with a 32-24 vote, moving forward without any Republican support, due in part to the removal of the Hyde Amendment, which prohibits federal dollars
On June 22, 2022, Representative Judy Chu (D-CA) introduced the Access to Foster Care to 21 Act, which would extend nationally the age of which a youth is eligible to remain in foster care to 21. This bill would provide financial assistance to states by de-linking youth ages 18-21 from the antiquated Aid to Families
On Thursday, June 23rd the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies Subcommittee held a markup on their FY2023 Appropriations bill, which includes a 13% increase over FY2022 spending levels. Despite emphasizing a commitment to bipartisan collaboration, the bill moved forward without any Republican support, due in part to the removement of prohibitions
On Saturday, June 25th, 2022, President Biden signed the bipartisan gun safety package into law, the first major gun violence legislation passed in decades. The bill, titled the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, was released by Republican Sens. John Cornyn (R-TX) and Thom Tillis (R-NC) and Democratic Sens. Chris Murphy (D-CT) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ). Fifteen
On June 21, 2022, the Nonprofit Organization Adoptees for Justice held a Story Circle to bring awareness to the experiences of adoptees living without citizenship. They elevated the voices of two adoptees who live in the United States and two who were deported. Joe, Jang, Daniel, and Emily were all able to share their stories
