Letters and Correspondence
In support of the Student Testing Improvement and Accountability Act (H.R.4172)
Last week, First Focus Campaign for Children sent this letter of support for the Student Testing Improvement and Accountability Act (H.R.4172) to Congressman Gibson (R-NY) and Congresswoman Sinema (D-AZ). This bill offers a common sense solution to the over-use of standardized testing by amending No Child Left Behind so states are required to offer a standardized test only once every grade span (grades 3-5, 6-9, and 10-12) instead of in every grade from grade 3 through 8. This is a return to research-based practice that...
On Lee Child Care Amendment
This letter was sent to Senate offices on March 13th urging opposition to S.Amdt.2820, an amendment sponsored by Senator Lee to the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) Reauthorization Act of 2013 (S.1086) that would require SSNs for children to receive the benefits under CCDBG. The amendment would require parents to provide the social security numbers of children who apply for child care assistance before a family can receive the child care benefit. This amendment would force states to implement undue bureaucratic and costly changes to their child care assistance processes,...
Child Care Floor Debate
The First Focus Campaign for Children sent this letter to the Senate on March 5, 2014 with the expectation that the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) Reauthorization Act of 2013 would be considered on the Senate Floor the following day, March 6th. The letter points out that it has been 18 years since CCDBG was reauthorized and urges all Senators to vote for the bill with no significant changes through the amendment process. As the letter states, this will improve child care for all children and...
House Hearing on Early Childhood Education - Statement for the Record
High quality early childhood education and care are essential for children’s ability to fulfill their potential later in life, yet too many young children in America today can’t access high quality early education and care. This statement briefly summarizes the volumes of research that show the long term positive impact of early education and goes on to explain that the high cost of private preschool and the limited availability of existing publicly funded early education initiatives means that many children are left out. Though many states and localities have increased investment in...
To the House of Representatives on the Bipartisan Budget Act
This letter asks members of the House of Representatives to support the Ryan/Murray Bipartisan Budget Act. While this bill fails to extend vital Emergency Unemployment Compensation and fails to completely undo sequestration, it is a step in the right direction
Start Healthy Act Endorsement
Congresswoman Diana DeGette has introduced legislation that would make Medicaid coverage available for babies born uninsured. Babies would remain covered under Medicaid until they have employer-sponsored or other insurance. This letter offers an endorsement of the Start Healthy Act.
Children's Budget Coalition Urges Budget Conferees to Invest in Kids
A coalition of leading children’s advocacy organizations sent a letter on November 15, 2013, urging Congressional budget conferees to prioritize and invest in kids in the budget agreement. The letter also urges a budget that would undo harmful sequester cuts.The organizations include:American Academy of PediatricsAmerican Federation of TeachersCampaign for Youth JusticeChild Welfare League of AmericaChildren’s Defense FundChildren’s Health FundEaster SealsFirst Focus Campaign for ChildrenMomsRisingNational Association for the Educationof Homeless Children & YouthNational Association of FederallyImpacted SchoolsNational Child Abuse CoalitionNational Education AssociationNational Head Start AssociationNational Title One...
Farm Bill Conference
Over 35 national organizations representing the children’s community sent a letter to members of the Farm Bill conference committee to stress the importance of nutrition assistance programs to children in the U.S. and urged members to work together as negotiations move forward to reject any cuts to nutrition assistance programs and safeguard the programs’ current levels of benefits, eligibility, and essential services.
Strong Start for America’s Children Act Endorsement
On November 13th, Representative Richard Hanna, Representative George Miller, and Senator Tom Harkin introduced the Strong Start for America’s Children Act. This is a letter of support to Congressman Hanna that highlights the current state of early education in America, the inequities inherent in access to early education, and how this proposal to expand access to preschool for children from low- and moderate-income families will positively impact these children, their families, and the entire country. A similar letter was also sent to the other sponsors...
Urging House Majority Leadership to Make Children a National Priority
This letter from First Focus Campaign for Children President Bruce Lesley urges House majority leadership — Speaker John Boehner, Majority Leader Eric Cantor, Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy, and Republican Conference Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers — to make children a priority in upcoming fiscal and policy debates. Observing that recent policy proposals have omitted children or considered children an afterthought, it cites a long track record of Republican leadership on children’s issues and urges a renewed focus, dialogue, and progress for children.