CNBC

By Bruce Lesley

Former U.S. House of Representatives Majority Leader Eric Cantor did something in his Monday commentary ("Here's what Congress needs to do in 2015") most politicians never do: put children first. His observation that 8,053,000 children will be born during this Congress is a powerful reminder about the consequences of congressional action or inaction. Those consequences aren't just measured in news cycles dominated, elections won, and legislatures controlled. They're measured in children's lives.

What's missing from Congressman Cantor's commentary is the sweeping range of issues before Congress with the potential to fundamentally impact America's children. But, using data from the nonpartisan Annie E. Casey Foundation's KIDS COUNT Data Center, that's a picture we can paint...

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Over the last year, First Focus Campaign for Children has been hard at work making children and families the priority in federal policy and budget decisions. Below is the list of our most popular resources for child advocates, policy makers, and the media in 2014. See the top 10 resources of our partners at First Focus.

1. Record Number of Homeless Students in U.S. Schools (Statement): Coalition statement on U.S. Department of Education data showing the United States has a record number of homeless K-12 students with over 1.2 million children being counted, an increase of 8 percent from the previous school year. 81 percent of the children are not recognized as homeless by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, which prioritizes homeless adults.

2. 750+ Leaders’ Letter to Congress: Extend funding for the Maternal, Infant and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program (Letter): Over 750 leading national, state, tribal, and local organizations and elected officials wrote to Congress to urge a funding extension of the bipartisan Maternal, Infant and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program (MIECHV program).

3. 2014 Champions for Children (Awards): Champions and Defenders of Children awards recognize the top 100 Members of Congress working to make children and families a national priority in federal policy and budget decisions.

4. Dr. Phil and 100+ Organizations to Congress: Protect Kids from Overmedication (Press release): Dr. Phil McGraw, the leading mental health expert, television personality and outspoken children’s rights activist, cosigned a letter joining more than 100 organizations urging lawmakers to support a budget initiative aimed at reducing unwarranted overmedication of children in foster care. We coordinated the letter in partnership with Voice for Adoption, a national organization advocating for children in foster care.

5. CHIP is Critical for the Future of Children’s Health (Fact sheet): This paper discusses how the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) fits into today’s health care system, focusing on why CHIP continues to be an essential source of coverage for kids. It also underscores the consequences for children’s health of the coming funding crisis and why protecting the future of children’s health means continued funding.

6. Voters Support CHIP Extension (Poll): We commissioned opinion research to assess public support for CHIP. The survey, completed by the Republican opinion research firm American Viewpoint, found nearly three-fourths of likely voters support the extension of CHIP funding.

7. Reject Congressman Issa’s DACA Proposal (Letter): Letter to all members of the House of Representatives regarding the misguided, irresponsible, and mean-spirited Dear Colleague letter circulated by Congressman Darrel Issa in the June The Congressman’s letter proposed to address the issue of an increase of child refugees fleeing terrible and unspeakably violent circumstances and arriving at the Southern Border by eliminating the highly successful and popular Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) initiative.

8. Homeless Children and Youth Act to Close Gaps in HUD Services (Blog post): This blog post covers the over 1 million homeless children in the United States, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s current definition of homelessness that excludes these children, and proposed legislation that would make several changes to the HUD definition and grant awards process in an effort to improve flexibility and efficiency.

9. Bipartisan Bill Re-Examines Overuse of Standardized Tests (Blog post): This blog post discusses how students, teachers, and schools have become unnecessarily overburdened by the growth of standardized testing and how proposed legislation would end mandatory over-testing and return to standardized tests offered once per grade span.

10. Protect her from harm (Advertisement): This advertisement, circulated to Congress, urges lawmakers to vote against a proposal that would have harmed over 1 million children and driven more families into poverty.

This week, the 114^thsession of Congress was gaveled into order. Among it were 45 returning membersrecognized as First Focus Campaign for Children 2014 Defenders of Children. Defenders of Children support efforts to advance policies to improve the well-being of America’s children.

The new Congress is a new opportunity for children’s advocates, mothers, fathers, aunts, uncles, future parents, pediatricians to share how important it is that children are the priority in federal policy and budget decisions. A recent poll of House and Senate offices by the Congressional Management Foundation found that most consider less than 30 social media comments enough to gain attention on an issue. And over half said that just a single constituent is enough to be influential.

Please take a minute to welcome back on Twitter the 2014 Defenders of Children, thank them for making it their priority to invest in kids, and share with them the issues important to you in the New Year. You can use the suggested tweet below, or find your Congressional representatives’ Twitter account by state. You can also see and thank returning Champions or Children, the highest level of recognition, here.

Welcome back to Congress, @Campaign4Kids Defender of Children @MemberTwitter! Please continue to make children the priority, #InvestInKids.
Tweet this now.

Alaska
Rep. Don Young (R-AK)California
Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA)
Rep. Xavier Becerra (D-CA)
Rep. Lois Capps (D-CA)
Rep. Tony Cárdenas (D-CA)
Rep. Susan Davis (D-CA)
Rep. Grace Napolitano (D-CA)
Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA)
Rep. David Valadao (R-CA)

Connecticut
Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT)

Florida
Rep. Ted Deutch (D-FL)

Georgia
Sen. Johnny Isakson (R-GA)

Illinois
Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL)

Iowa
Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA)

Louisiana
Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-LA)

Maryland
Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-MD)
Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-MD)
Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD)

Massachusetts
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA)

Michigan
Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI)
Rep. John Conyers (D-MI)
Rep. Sander Levin (D-MI)

Minnesota
Rep. Betty McCollum (D-MN)

Mississippi
Sen. Thad Cochran (R-MS)Nevada
Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV)

New Jersey
Sen. Robert Menendez (D-NJ)
Rep. Frank LoBiondo (D-NJ)
Rep. Frank Pallone (D-NJ)

New Mexico
Rep. Ben Ray Luján (D-NM)

New York
Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY)
Rep. Yvette Clarke (D-NY)
Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
Rep. Peter King (R-NY)
Rep. José Serrano (D-NY)
Rep. Louise Slaughter (D-NY)
Rep. Paul Tonko (D-NY)

Ohio
Rep. Steve Stivers (R-OH)
Rep. Pat Tiberi (R-OH)

Oregon
Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR)
Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR)
Rep. Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR)

Pennsylvania
Rep. Charlie Dent (R-PA)

Rhode Island
Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI)

South Carolina
Rep. James Clyburn (D-SC)

Utah
Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT)

This week, the 114^th session of Congress was gaveled into order. Among it were 46 returning members recognized as First Focus Campaign for Children 2014 Champions for Children. Champions for Children make extraordinary efforts to protect and improve the future of America’s next generation.

The new Congress is a new opportunity for children’s advocates, mothers, fathers, aunts, uncles, future parents, pediatricians to share how important it is that children are the priority in federal policy and budget decisions. A recent poll of House and Senate offices by the Congressional Management Foundation found that most consider less than 30 social media comments enough to gain attention on an issue. And over half said that just a single constituent is enough to be influential.

Please take a minute to welcome back on Twitter the 2014 Champions for Children, thank them for making it their priority to invest in kids, and share with them the issues important to you in the New Year. You can use the suggested tweet below, or find your Congressional representatives' Twitter account by state. You can also see and thank returning Defenders of Children, the next highest honor, here.

Welcome back to Congress, @Campaign4Kids Champion for Children @MemberTwitter! Please continue to make children the priority, #InvestInKids.
Tweet this now.

Alaska
Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK)

Arizona
Rep. Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ)

California
Rep. Karen Bass (D-CA)
Rep. Judy Chu (D-CA)
Rep. Mike Honda (D-CA)
Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA)
Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-CA)

Colorado
Rep. Jared Polis (D-CO)

Connecticut
Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT)
Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT)

Florida
Rep. Kathy Castor (D-FL)
Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL)
Rep. Frederica Wilson (D-FL)

Georgia
Rep. John Lewis (D-GA)

Hawaii
Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-HI)

Illinois
Sen. Richard Durbin (D-IL)
Rep. Danny Davis (D-IL)

Maine
Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME)

Massachusetts
Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA)

Minnesota
Sen. Al Franken (D-MN)
Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN)

New York
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY)
Rep. Chris Gibson (R-NY)
Rep. Richard Hanna (R-NY)
Rep. Charles Rangel (D-NY)

Ohio
Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH)
Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH)
Rep. Marcia Fudge (D-OH)

Oregon
Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR)

Pennsylvania
Sen. Bob Casey (D-PA)

Rhode Island
Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI)
Rep. David Cicilline (D-RI)
Rep. Jim Langevin (D-RI)

Texas
Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-TX)
Rep. Gene Green (D-TX)
Rep. Rubén Hinojosa (D-TX)
Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX)
Rep. Beto O’Rourke (D-TX)

Vermont
Sen. Bernie Sanders (D-VT)

Virginia
Rep. Bobby Scott (D-VA)

Washington
Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA)
Rep. Jim McDermott (D-WA)
Rep. Dave Reichert (R-WA)

Wisconsin
Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI)
Rep. Gwen Moore (D-WI)
Rep. Mark Pocan (D-WI)

The First Focus Campaign for Children submitted this statement for the record for the Senate Committee on the Judiciary hearing on December 10, 2014 entitled The President’s Executive Action on Immigration and the Need to Pass Comprehensive Immigration Reform. The statement highlights the important impact of the executive immigration actions on family unity and child well-being and calls on Congress to provide a permanent solution for immigrant families by passing comprehensive immigration reform.

On December 4th, 2014, the First Focus Campaign for Children sent a letter to members of the House of Representatives urging them to vote against the “Preventing Executive Overreach on Immigration Act of 2014” (HR 5759). The bill would not only prevent the President from moving forward with recently announced programs that would protect immigrant youth and families from deportation, but it could put other vulnerable individuals at risk of deportation, such as relatives of military personnel and trafficking victims.

The Denver Post

By Bruce Lesley

Re: “Here’s what the new Congress should do,” Nov. 25 guest commentary.

Writers Hank Brown and Barry Jackson are right: Voters care about children’s futures. But Brown and Jackson’s policy agenda ignores children entirely.

What’s worse is that nearly every debate they mention — taxes, regulation, immigration reform, welfare reform, the federal budget, health care — matters for Colorado children. On health care, their exclusive focus on Obamacare ignores that federal funding will soon expire for Child Health Plan Plus, a bipartisan health plan that covers more than 125,000 Colorado kids...

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Washington — Today, the First Focus Campaign for Children, a national bipartisan children’s advocacy group, recognized Representative Karen Bass for her leadership on issues important to children during 2013.

“Lots of politicians talk about kids’ issues, but few back it up,” said Bruce Lesley, president of the Campaign for Children. “Representative Bass delivered for kids.”

In selecting Champions and Defenders, the First Focus Campaign for Children noted leaders who introduced, co-sponsored, and voted for legislation to meet children’s needs. In addition, the organization considered Members who demonstrated extraordinary initiative by spearheading activities such as sponsoring hearings or garnering the support of their colleagues to improve the health and well-being of children. In recognizing Rep. Bass as a Champion for Children, the advocacy group cited her leadership on child abuse and neglect prevention and response.

The advocacy organization recognized as “Champions for Children” 50 Members of Congress 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 policies that advance the well-being of children. The 2013 Champions and Defenders are:

2013 Champions for Children

Champions for Children made extraordinary efforts to protect and improve the future of America's next generation.

Senate

Sen. Mark Begich (D-AK)
Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT)
Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH)
Sen. Robert Casey (D-PA)
Sen. Thad Cochran (R-MS)
Sen. Richard Durbin (D-IL)
Sen. Al Franken (D-MN)
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY)
Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA)
Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-HI)
Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK)
Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA)
Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-WV)
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT)
Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR)

House

Rep. Karen Bass (D-CA)
Rep. Xavier Becerra (D-CA)
Rep. Lois Capps (D-CA)
Rep. Kathy Castor (D-FL)
Rep. Judy Chu (D-CA)
Rep. David Cicilline (D-RI)
Rep. Danny Davis (D-IL)
Rep. Diana DeGette (D-CO)
Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT)
Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-TX)
Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN)
Rep. Gene Green (D-TX)
Rep. Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ)
Rep. Michael Grimm (R-NY)
Rep. Luis Gutiérrez (D-IL)
Rep. Richard Hanna (R-NY)
Rep. Rubén Hinojosa (D-TX)
Rep. Mike Honda (D-CA)
Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX)
Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA)
Rep. John Lewis (D-GA)
Rep. Betty McCollum (D-MN)
Rep. Jim McDermott (D-WA)
Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA)
Rep. George Miller (D-CA)
Rep. Gwen Moore (D-WI)
Rep. Beto O'Rourke (D-TX)
Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA)
Rep. Charles Rangel (D-NY)
Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL)
Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-CA)
Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL)
Rep. Bobby Scott (D-VA)
Rep. Jackie Speier (D-CA)
Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD)

2013 Defenders of Children

Defenders of Children supported efforts to advance policies to improve the well-being of America's children.

Senate

Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI)
Sen. Max Baucus (D-MT)
Sen. Michael Bennet (D-CO)
Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME)
Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA)
Sen. Robert Menendez (D-NJ)
Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR)
Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-MD)
Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT)
Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH)
Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI)
Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV)
Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI)
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA)
Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI)

House

Del. Donna Christensen (D-VI)
Rep. Yvette Clarke (D-NY)
Rep. James Clyburn (D-SC)
Rep. John Conyers (D-MI)
Rep. Charlie Dent (R-PA)
Rep. Chris Gibson (R-NY)
Rep. Alcee Hastings (D-FL)
Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-MD)
Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX)
Rep. David Joyce (R-OH)
Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-OH)
Rep. Peter King (R-NY)
Rep. Jim Langevin (D-RI)
Rep. Sandy Levin (D-MI)
Rep. Frank LoBiondo (R-NJ)
Rep. Dave Loebsack (D-IA)
Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA)
Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY)
Rep. Jim Moran (D-VA)
Rep. Grace Napolitano (D-CA)
Rep. Frank Pallone (D-NJ)
Rep. Donald Payne, Jr. (D-NJ)
Rep. Mark Pocan (D-WI)
Rep. Jared Polis (D-CO)
Rep. Dave Reichert (R-WA)
Rep. Hal Rogers (R-KY)
Rep. Linda Sánchez (D-CA)
Rep. Allyson Schwartz (D-PA)
Rep. José Serrano (D-NY)
Rep. Carol Shea-Porter (D-NH)
Rep. Louise Slaughter (D-NY)
Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ)
Rep. David Valadao (R-CA)
Rep. Henry Waxman (D-CA)
Rep. Frederica Wilson (D-FL)

This is the Campaign for Children’s fourth annual class of Champions for Children. For more information about past honorees, visit www.ffcampaignforchildren.org.

The First Focus Campaign for Children places a priority on supporting legislators who stand by our nation's children. This ad recognizing our 2014 Champions for Children and Defenders of Children ran in the September 30, 2014, edition of Roll Call.

Washington – The U.S. House of Representatives is scheduled to vote today on legislation (H.R. 5230) rolling back protections against child trafficking, shortcutting procedural protections intended to ensure that child refugees have an opportunity to assert claims for protection, expanding and extending the detention of children in facilities that cannot ensure their health, safety, and development, and denying them legal representation. The bipartisan children’s advocacy organization First Focus Campaign for Children sent members of the House a letter yesterday, opposing the proposal. In response to an announcement that the House will vote today, the Campaign for Children issued the following statement by its Vice President for Immigration and Child Rights Policy, Wendy Cervantes:

“Parents only let their children face the dangers of coming here because their children face greater dangers at home – that’s the short definition of refugee. And a vote for this bill is a vote to deny those child refugees a chance at sanctuary and a vote to return them to the traffickers, gangs, and drug lords who would exploit, abuse, and violate them. Our nation should not take actions that would risk children’s lives. Members of Congress should ask whether their votes are in the best interests of the child – if they ask that question, they’ll see that this bill doesn’t pass that common-sense test.”

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The First Focus Campaign for Children is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit organization affiliated with First Focus, a bipartisan children’s advocacy organization. The Campaign for Children advocates directly for legislative change in Congress to ensure children and families are the priority in federal policy and budget decisions. For more information, visit www.ffcampaignforchildren.org.