Letters and Correspondence

We send this letter to Senate leadership urging them to break the impasse that has stalled the critical Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act of 2015 and pass Amendment #271 to fix the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)’s definition of homelessness to include homeless children and youth who are living temporarily in motels or with others because they have nowhere else to go.

Our comments on the U.S. House of Representatives discussion draft legislation extending federal funding for the bipartisan Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) applauds Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee Chairman Joe Pitts' (R-Penn.), full committee Chairman Fred Upton's (R-Mich.), and U.S. Senate Finance Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch's (R-Utah) commitment to extending CHIP.Over 8 million low-income children in working families who currently rely on CHIP for their health coverage. We urge Congress to adopt these overriding principles while extending CHIP: children should not be left worse off; do no harm; if it ain't broke,...

As Congress works on reauthorizing No Child Left Behind (NCLB), First Focus Campaign for Children joined with Broader, Bolder Approach to Education and Opportunity Action to write and circulate this letter.This letter voices signers' concerns that NCLB’s emphasis on the importance of standards has resulted in neglecting the need for supports to reach them. It lists five principles for reauthorization that will return NCLB to the original spirit and intent of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act as a supports-oriented civil rights bill.

Over 750 leading national, state, tribal, and local organizations and elected officials wrote to Congress to urge a funding extension of the bipartisan Maternal, Infant and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program (MIECHV program). Congress must reauthorize the bipartisan-supported Maternal, Infant and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program (MIECHV program) at its current annual funding level of $400 million before the end of March 2015.The MIECHV program has is proven to improve outcomes for vulnerable children, pregnant women, families, and taxpayers.Take action: Join these leading advocates for children in calling on...

On February 25, 2015, FFCC sent this letter regarding the the House of Representatives markup of the Student Success Act (H.R. 5). This legislation, sponsored by Representative Kline, would reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). First Focus Campaign for Children sent this letter regarding the markup, highlighting the opportunity that reauthorization of ESEA presents to positively impact the lives of millions of children and families and contribute to our future economic success. It also highlights FFCC’s serious concerns with H.R. 5.

On February 11, 2015, the House Education and Workforce Committee marked up the Student Success Act (H.R. 5). This legislation, sponsored by Representative Kline, would reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). First Focus Campaign for Children sent this letter regarding the markup, highlighting the opportunity that reauthorization of ESEA presents to positively impact the lives of millions of children and families and contribute to our future economic success. It also highlights FFCC's serious concerns with H.R. 5 and how Representative Bobby Scott’s substitution amendment would...

On February 11, 2015, the First Focus Campaign for Children (FFCC) submitted this statement for the record to the House Immigration and Border Security Subcommittee for the hearing entitled “Interior Immigration Enforcement Legislation.” The statement expresses FFCC’s opposition to H.R. 5143, H.R. 5137, and H.R. 2278, all of which are proposed legislation that threaten to harm immigrant communities. FFCC is particularly concerned with H.R. 5143 and H.R. 5137, two bills which would weaken protections for vulnerable child migrants by undermining their safety, due process rights,...

First Focus Campaign for Children (FFCC) sent this letter to Chairman Alexander and Ranking Member Murray, both of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, regarding the draft bill to reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA, renamed No Child Left Behind in 2001) released by Sen. Alexander early this year. The future strength of the nation’s democracy and its economy is dependent upon the investments made in children and youth today and the reauthorization of ESEA presents an historic opportunity to positively impact the...

A report by PolicyLab at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia calls into question the reliability of federal systems for the collection of child abuse and neglect data. This letter asks senior members of key congressional committees to review these discrepancies and consider specific potential policy solutions.

On January 13, 2015 the First Focus Campaign for Children sent the following letter to the House of Representatives in opposition to the “The Department of Homeland Security Fiscal Year 2015 Appropriations Act” (H.R. 240). The letter expresses concern over amendments that harm children and families by putting them at risk for deportation and urges the House to work towards immigration reform that will help keep families together.