News

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Senator Al Franken (D-MN) and Senator Herb Kohl (D-WI) introduced the Humane Enforcement and Legal Protections (HELP) for Separated Children Act, legislation that 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.Specifically, the bill would ensure that parents and guardians apprehended by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) or its surrogates are identified in a timely manner and provided the opportunity to...

WASHINGTON D.C. – Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ) has introduced legislation that would provide an annual accounting of all federal money spent on children.The Children's Budget Act aims to make children a priority in the federal budget by requiring that the President's annual budget request includes a separate analysis of all spending on children's programs. This accounting would collect the diverse sources of funding for children's programs, in a unified place, communicating a clear picture of the federal funding benefiting America's young people."Once again, Senator Menendez has taken a leading role in ensuring our children are a national priority. His ‘Children's...

Office of U.S. Senator Blanche LincolnU.S. Senator Blanche Lincoln (D-Ark.) today was honored as a Champion for Children at a Children's Budget Summit hosted by the bipartisan children's advocacy organization First Focus."Children are our most precious blessings, and throughout my public service I've been proud to fight for federal resources and measures to ensure their health, safety, and well being," Senator Lincoln said. "I am proud to advocate for improved nutrition, access to quality education and health care, and safe and loving homes for our children, and I thank First Focus and Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families for...

Office of U.S. Senator Bob CaseyWASHINGTON, DC—U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) was honored today as a Champion for Children at a summit hosted by the bipartisan children’s advocacy organization First Focus.“I have always believed that as an elected official it is my responsibility to advocate for those in the dawn of their lives and ensure that the well-being of children and families remains a priority,” said Senator Casey. “With that said, it is both humbling and a great honor to receive the Champion for Children Award from First Focus.”...Read more

The HillThe Democrats’ new healthcare reform law takes steps to eliminate restrictions on children’s health insurance, prohibiting insurers from denying coverage to children with pre-existing conditions.Many private insurers, however, said the provision would simply discourage parents from enrolling healthy children. The companies were threatening to drop their “kids-only” plans unless the administration put some restrictions on enrollment. ...More

Youth TodayA new federal guideline that lets health insurers deny new coverage to children except those who sign up during “open enrollment” has drawn fire from the child advocacy group First Focus.On Tuesday, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) granted a request by health insurance companies to declare that the new federal health care law does not require them to enroll children outside of the companies’ specific open enrollment periods, which generally occur once a year.“Issuers in the individual market may restrict enrollment of children under 19, whether in family or individual coverage, to specific open...

Northeast Pennsylvania Business JournalU.S. Sen. Bob Casey (D-Pa.) was honored July 14 as a Champion for Children at a summit hosted by the bipartisan children’s advocacy organization First Focus.“I have always believed that as an elected official it is my responsibility to advocate for those in the dawn of their lives and ensure that the well-being of children and families remains a priority,” said Sen. Casey. “With that said, it is both humbling and a great honor to receive the Champion for Children Award from First Focus.”“Senator Bob Casey has raised the profile of children’s issues in Congress and served as...