Letters and Correspondence

The congressional debate over stopgap funding legislation has critical implications for kids, locking in “sequestration” budget levels that harm education, child welfare, child nutrition, and a range of other investments, and jeopardizing the health coverage of millions of children enrolled in the Children’s Health Insurance Program. This letter, signed by 14 of the nation’s leading children’s advocacy organizations, urges Congress to reject the proposal.

In this letter, the First Focus Campaign for Children strongly members of the House to "vote no" on H.J. Res 59, a bill to temporarily fund the federal government, because the legislation jeopardizes the health coverage of millions of children enrolled in the Children’s Health Insurance Program and defunds the Affordable Care Act, imperiling the health of millions of children. The legislation also continues billions of dollars of harmful sequestration cuts.

The First Focus Campaign for Children sent a letter urging members of the U.S. House of Representatives to reject cuts to child nutrition. The House "Farm Bill" would make deep cuts to several critical anti-hunger and childhood obesity initiatives.

On July 23, 2013, the First Focus Campaign for Children submitted this statement for the record to the House Subcommittee for Immigration and Border Security for the hearing entitled “The Immigration Status of Illegal Immigrants Brought to the U.S. as Children.”Related Press Release

The Student Success Act (H.R. 5) will reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). While First Focus Campaign for Children supports the effort to reauthorize ESEA, we oppose H.R. 5. This bill does not provide the resources and support needed to ensure that all children, particularly our most disadvantaged, receive an equitable education.

On July 11, 2013, the Senate Appropriations Committee will consider a bill providing for the Fiscal Year 2014 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education appropriations. This bill contains the majority of discretionary funding for investments that matter to children. First Focus Campaign for Children sent the following letter to Senate appropriators in support of the legislation.

On June 10, 2013, the First Focus Campaign for Children sent a letter to the House of Representatives to urge Members to reject the the Strengthen and Fortify Enforcement (SAFE) Act (H.R. 2278) and highlight the potential harm to children and families.

On June 19, 2013, the House Education and the Workforce Committee will consider a proposal for the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, commonly referred to as “No Child Left Behind.” This letter to Education and the Workforce Committee members looks at the positives and negatives of the Student Success Act authored by Committee Chairman Representative John Kline.

The First Focus Campaign for Children sent a letter urging members of the U.S. House of Representatives to reject cuts to child nutrition. The House "Farm Bill" would make deep cuts to several critical anti-hunger and childhood obesity initiatives.

More than 100 advocates joined the First Focus Campaign for Children in urging members of the U.S. Senate to protect critical elements of immigration reform legislation for children. The letter also urges senators to adopt amendments that would improve the bill's outcomes for kids and reject harmful amendments.