On April 19th, 2023, Congressman Dave Joyce (R-OH) and Congresswoman Ann Kuster (D-NH) introduced a resolution to recognize April as National Child Abuse Prevention Month. “The Child Welfare League of America (CWLA) thanks Representatives Joyce and Kuster for this resolution in support of National Child Abuse Prevention Month. Child abuse and neglect are serious problems,
In addition to the Biden administration’s proposed rule that was announced last week (see below), the House voted on H.R. 734 the Protecting Women and Girls in Sports Act on Thursday, April 20, 2023. The bill passed along party lines in a 219-203 vote. The bill is not expected to pass in the Senate or
On March 28th, 2023, the Work and Welfare Subcommittee of the House Ways and Means Committee held a hearing about the reauthorization of the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program, titled “Welfare is Broken: Restoring Work Requirements to Lift Americans Out of Poverty.” The approach of the two parties was starkly different. Subcommittee Chairman
On March 29, 2023 the Congressional Dad’s Caucus had its kickoff meeting with a panel of lived experience. Representative Jimmy Gomez (D-CA), the Chair and Founder of the Dad’s Caucus, opened the discussion by highlighting the importance of “family friendly” policy. Several other congressmen offered their support, including Representative Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), founder of the
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is under consideration in both the Appropriations debate as well as the looming Farm Bill reauthorization due this year. These debates are happening as a “hunger cliff” is affecting SNAP, as benefits are being rolled back resulting in reductions of $82 per month on average, a significant sum for
On Tuesday, March 28, Secretary Xavier Becerra of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) testified before the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education about the fiscal year 2024 budget. Chairman Aderholt (R-AL) opened the hearing with the goal of identifying the programs most critical to our population, creating
On Wednesday, March 28th, the House Ways and Means Committee held a hearing on President Biden’s FY24 Budget proposal with HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra. Although Chairman Jason Smith [R-MO] and Ranking Member Richard Neal [D-MA] raised diverging criticisms, there was bipartisan agreement on preventing “surprise billing,” providing Alzheimer treatments, and holding corporations accountable for migrant
On Thursday March 23, 2023, The House Committee on Education and the Workforce held a hearing titled, Breaking the System: Examining the Implications of Biden's Student Loan Policies for Students and Taxpayers. It was the first hearing led by the Subcommittee of Workforce and Higher Education in this Congress, signaling that the student loan debt
On March 15th, the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities released a new report about the harms of work requirements in safety net programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Medicaid. The report notes that most working-age adults receiving assistance from these programs are already working for pay or they are temporarily between
On March 8th, 2023, House Ways and Means Work & Welfare Ranking Member Danny K. Davis (D-IL) and Congressional Caucus on Foster Youth Co-chair Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE) re-introduced the Foster Youth and Driving Act, legislation that would increase the economic and social independence of youth in care by helping them obtain their driver’s licenses.