Letters and Correspondence

The First Focus Campaign for Children sent a letter to every member of the U.S. Senate, urging opposition to legislation (S. 458, Roberts) that would make deep cuts to child nutrition. The bill would cut more than $36 billion from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which allocates nearly half of its funding to feeding children. Read more about these and other concerns with this misguided proposal.

Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) introduced the Prepare All Kids Act (S.502) on March 7, 2013. Much like the plan for pre-K that the President announced in the State of the Union, this bill would make a necessary federal investment in early childhood education by creating state-federal partnerships to fund high-quality pre-K programs. The Prepare All Kids act prioritizes access for children in low-income families, English language learners, and children with disabilities to ensure that children who often cannot access other forms of pre-K will be...

This letter from First Focus Campaign for Children (FFCC) president Bruce Lesley was sent to Congressman Steve King (R-IA) on January 23, 2013 to express our opposition to King’s Birthright Citizenship Act (HR140). The letter details how this bill would punish all children born in this country by, among other outcomes, denying children immediate access to critical services for babies, which would potentially increase our already high infant mortality rate, and increasing the number of undocumented and stateless children in the U.S.Read our fact sheet

The First Focus Campaign for Children sent Senator Patty Murray a letter congratulating her new appointment as Chair of the Senate Budget Committee. Recognized by the Campaign for Children as a congressional Champion for Children all three years the honor has been awarded, Senator Murray is a steadfast and passionate advocate for children and families. She is also the first woman to chair this critical committee.

Children's issues received only passing attention during the first 2012 presidential debate. The First Focus Campaign for Children worked with The Center for the Next Generation and Voices for America's children to urge the moderators of the remaining debates to adopt a stronger focus on children.

On July 24, 2012, First Focus Campaign for Children endorsed legislation by Congressman Richard Neal (MA-2) to extend critical, but expiring, improvements to the Child Tax Credit and Earned Income Tax Credit for one year. Together, the improved version of these credits kept close to 5 million children from falling into poverty in 2010 alone. This bill will preserve these key credits for 13 million families and 26 million children nationwide.

Last week, Representative Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-CA) introduced the Help Separated Families Act (H.R. 6128) to help children who are placed in the child welfare system as a result of immigration enforcement. Currently, there are over 5,000 citizen children in foster care because their parents have been detained or removed. These children are at risk of being permanently separated from their families. The Help Separated Families Act will ensure that children can be placed in the care of family and have a chance to be reunified with their parents. This letter was signed...

First Focus Campaign for Children sent a letter on July 10, 2012 to members of the U.S. House Committee on Agriculture to speak out against more than $16 billion in cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

The First Focus Campaign for Children sent this letter to every member of the U.S. Senate, urging support for an amendment by Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) to protect federal investments in child nutrition and support the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program.

A First Focus analysis shows that the U.S. House of Representatives' federal fiscal year 2013 budget “reconciliation” package makes deep cuts to critical investments in children. Child nutrition, health care for uninsured children, the Child Tax Credit, child care, and child abuse prevention and response are all on the chopping block.The First Focus Campaign for Children sent a letter to every member of the House of Representatives urging them to understand the reconciliation bill's consequences for the children they serve, before casting a 'yes' vote (click the image on...