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Baltimore SunProtect programs that keep kids out of povertyBy Bruce LesleyRep. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland and other members of the congressional "supercommittee" created by this summer's federal deficit ceiling law are charged with making a plan to reduce the federal budget deficit. That's a daunting task. But as new Census Bureau data shows, kids in Mr. Van Hollen's 8th District and in Maryland as a whole face an even more daunting one: staying afloat as more and more of them sink into poverty.First Focus, a national bipartisan children's advocacy organization, has crunched the numbers, and the Census figures...

Washington - In response to the October 20, 2011, Senate HELP Committee’s 15-7 passage of bipartisan legislation reauthorizing the Elementary and Secondary Education (ESEA) Act and fundamentally re-writing the former “No Child Left Behind” Act, First Focus Campaign for Children President Bruce Lesley issued the following statement:“Parents, teachers, school administrators, and lawmakers all agree No Child Left Behind isn’t working. That’s why the First Focus Campaign for Children applauds the leadership and bipartisan commitment of HELP Committee Chairman Tom Harkin and Ranking Republican Mike Enzi. But the Committee-approved draft misses important opportunities, and the Senate floor debate must improve the...

Washington, DC – Today, Congresswoman Mazie Hirono (D-HI) along with Congressman Walter Jones (R-NC), Congressman Don Young (R-AK) and Congressman Jared Polis (D-CO), introduced the bi-partisan Continuum of Learning Act of 2011. This landmark legislation updates the Elementary and Secondary School Education Act (formerly known as No Child Left behind), to support a critical component of education for all children – the coordination and continuity of early childhood care and learning with K-12 education.Bruce Lesley, President of the First Focus Campaign for Children, issued the following statement:“Learning begins at birth. The research is irrefutable that the years between birth and...

Bill paves way for cost-saving collaboration and better lives for vulnerable children and familiesWashington, D.C. – The Center for the Study of Social Policy (CSSP) and First Focus applaud Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden for his vision and commitment to improving the lives of those in the child welfare system.“As a country, we cannot afford to let children fall through the cracks of the many systems that exist to serve them,” said Wyden. “By targeting our resources, improving collaboration, spurring innovation, and—above all—holding ourselves accountable, we can systemically serve the best interest of at-risk children, their families and communities, and...

Washington D.C. – Today, Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and Representative Dale Kildee (D-MI) introduced legislation to support young people who have dropped out of school in earning a secondary school diploma and attaining a 2-year or 4-year credential from a postsecondary institution. The Reengaging Americans in Serious Education by Uniting Programs (RAISE UP) Act seeks to give disconnected youth access to the professional skills they need in order to pursue a competitive career.By creating community partnerships that integrate often disparate services into a comprehensive, cross-systems dropout recovery approach, the RAISE UP act will build dropout recovery systems at the local...

Child Advocates call on Congress to Address Economic Issues around Jobs, Child Poverty, Hunger, and HomelessnessWashington D.C. – Today, as Congressional leaders and White House officials race to pass legislation to avoid a default on the national debt, the First Focus Campaign for Children reacts to the bipartisan compromise reached last night, specifying what the deal means for America’s children.While the details of the spending cuts outlined in the proposal remain unclear, whether through Congressional spending caps, the newly created Super Committee, or via sequestration mechanisms, the agreement would impose $1.2 trillion in cuts on discretionary spending over the next...

Nearly 100 Advocacy Organizations Urge Policymakers to Hold Children Harmless in the Debt Ceiling DealWashington D.C. – Today, a coalition of nearly 100 national, state, and local advocacy organizations expressed their deep concern to the President and top Congressional leaders about the implications of not raising the debt ceiling on fate of America’s next generation. The group urged our nation’s leaders to protect children from harm as they continue to negotiate debt ceiling solutions.In a letter delivered today to President Obama and Congressional leadership, the coalition of organizations wrote, “If we fail to raise the debt ceiling, the effects...

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Representative Judy Chu (D-CA) and Representative Dave Loebsack (D-IA) introduced legislation to lower the barriers that stand between America’s children and educational success. The Developing Innovative Partnerships and learning Opportunities that Motivate Achievement (DIPLOMA) Act authorizes states to help local school districts build community-wide partnerships to address nutrition, health, personal safety, family stability, and other factors that determine how well children can perform in school.“When children have to deal with issues such as hunger, instability at home and poor nutrition outside of school, it makes it even more difficult for them to receive a good education...

Bill Threatens the Safety and Well-being of Children and Family ValuesWASHINGTON, DC – Today, the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration Policy and Enforcement held a hearing on the Hinder the Administration’s Legalization Temptation Act (HALT Act), a bill introduced by Representative Lamar Smith (R-TX) that would suspend critical discretionary forms of immigration relief until January 21, 2013.The First Focus Campaign for Children, a bipartisan children’s advocacy organization, voiced its strong opposition to the bill as it would limit the Administration’s ability to respond to humanitarian crises and directly threaten the safety and well-being of children and families.Bruce Lesley, President of...

WASHINGTON, DC – Yesterday, Senator Al Franken (D-MN) and Representative Lynn Woolsey (D-CA) re-introduced the Humane Enforcement and Legal Protections (HELP) for Separated Children Act. The legislation would implement critically needed reforms to protect children and families impacted by immigration enforcement. The First Focus Campaign for Children, a bipartisan children’s advocacy organization, voiced its strong support for the legislation, which includes key provisions that will safeguard child well-being and family unity.“The ramifications of our broken immigration policies are evident every day, and far too often it is our children who suffer the most. Thousands of innocent children are needlessly separated...