News

The Daily Jeffersonian11/1/2015WASHINGTON, D.C. -- U.S. Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio) was named a 2015 Champion of Children by the First Focus Campaign for Children.Portman was recognized for his leadership on issues important to the health and well-being of children including improving the foster care system and protecting vulnerable Ohio children from human traffickers...Read more

Danbury News-TimesBy Rob RysterU.S. Rep. Elizabeth Esty is among 50 lawmakers recognized by an advocacy group as a “Defender of Children.”The group First Focus Campaign for Children chose Esty for her leadership on issues important to children during the 114th Congress in 2014 and 2015, according to a release...Read more

Washington – Over 250 leading children, family, and poverty advocacy organizations endorsed today a bill that would set a national target date for the elimination of child poverty in the United States.The Child Poverty Reduction Act (S. 2224), introduced by Sen. Bob Casey (D-Pa.), Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) and Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), aims to cut child poverty in half in 10 years and end child poverty in America within 20 years. A U.S. House of Representatives version of the bill (H.R. 2408) was introduced in May.The bill is modeled after a successful policy in the United Kingdom...

MinnPostBy Joe Kimball10/27/2015The national First Focus Campaign for Children has included four Minnesotans on a list of 50 members of Congress they call "Champions for Children."On the list are Sens. Amy Klobuchar and Al Franken, and Reps. Keith Ellison and Betty McCollum. They were cited for their "extraordinary efforts to protect and improve the future of America’s next generation."...Read more

Washington – Over 120 state and national organizations led by the First Focus Campaign for Children endorsed today the Children’s Bill of Rights (H. Res. 476).The resolution, recently introduced by Rep. Karen Bass (D-Calif.), Rep. Judy Chu (D-Calif.) and Rep. Luis Gutiérrez (D-Ill.), would establish a national Children’s Bill of Rights recognizing that every child is entitled to: Basic needs such as shelter, clothing and food; Protection from abuse and/or neglect, access to medical treatment; Educational supports and opportunities; Representation by attorneys and advocates in legal proceedings; Rehabilitative services if detained or incarcerated; and Protections from unsafe child...

Evanston PatchBy Tim MoranIllinois th District U.S. Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky, D-Evanston was one of 66 House members to be recognized for advocating for children by national advocacy group First Focus Campaign for Children.“Lots of politicians talk about kids’ issues, but few back it up,” said Bruce Lesley, president of the Campaign for Children. “Representative Schakowsky made real commitments to improving the wellbeing of America’s children.”...Read more

Deerfield PatchBy Tim MoranIllinois 10th District U.S. Congressman Robert Dold, R-Kenilworth was one of 66 House members to be recognized for advocating for children by national advocacy group First Focus Campaign for Children.“Lots of politicians talk about kids’ issues, but few back it up,” said Bruce Lesley, president of the Campaign for Children. “Representative Dold made real commitments to improving the wellbeing of America’s children.”...Read more

Washington – Today, the First Focus Campaign for Children, a national bipartisan children’s advocacy group, recognized 100 Members of Congress for leadership on issues important to the health and well-being of children during 2015.“Lots of politicians talk about kids’ issues, but few back it up,” said Bruce Lesley, president of the Campaign for Children. “Champions and Defenders delivered for kids.”The advocacy organization recognized 50 Members of Congress as “Champions for Children” for their extraordinary efforts to protect and improve the future of America’s next generation. An additional 50 Members were recognized as “Defenders of Children” for their support of...

NJ TodayA large group of federal lawmakers has introduced theTobacco to 21 Act (S.2100), legislation that would prohibit the sale of tobacco products to anyone under the age of 21.“We know that the earlier smokers begin their unhealthy addiction to nicotine, the more likely they are to suffer from tobacco-related diseases or die,” said Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i). “This year, Hawai‘i became the first state in the nation to raise the minimum smoking age to 21. It was an historic public health achievement that we should adopt nationwide. By raising the minimum tobacco age of sale to 21...

Los Angeles SentinelAs they continue to address the needs of the hundreds of thousands of young people who are currently a part of the foster care system and the tens of thousands who leave the system each year, Reps. Karen Bass (D-Calif.) and Jim McDermott (D-Wash.)—Co-Chairs of the Congressional Caucus on Foster Youth—announced they introduced H.R. 3641, the “Health Insurance for Former Foster Youth Act of 2015,” legislation that will close a loophole and guarantee that foster youth will still receive health insurance through Medicaid until they turn 26 years old regardless of their state of residence.One of the...