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.

Washington – Public schools in the United States enroll a record number of homeless children and youth, according to U.S. Department of Education (ED) data released today.

The 1,258,182 homeless students enrolled by U.S. preschools and K-12 schools in the 2012-2013 school year is an increase of 8 percent from the previous school year. 34 states and the District of Columbia reported year-to-year increases in the number of homeless students. The number of homeless children in public schools has increased 85 percent since the beginning of the recession.

81 percent of the children included in the ED data are not recognized as homeless by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), which prioritizes homeless single adults, because they are living temporarily in motels or doubled-up housing. As a result, 1,006,899 homeless children are eligible for educational assistance through local schools, but not HUD services including shelter, short-term housing, and assistance with obtaining permanent housing. The bipartisanHomeless Children and Youth Act introduced in both chambers of Congress would amend the HUD definition of homelessness to include the homeless children identified in ED’s report.

Homeless children face education, health, and safety consequences from their lack of permanent housing:

• Children experiencing homelessness are more likely to be diagnosed with learning disabilities.
• Homeless students transfer schools more often, and are more likely to miss school, and have lower standardized test scores.
• Homelessness is the highest risk factor in determining if a student leaves school before graduation; homeless students are 87 percent more likely than their peers to leave school.

This year, for the first time, ED required all school districts to report whether homeless students were living with their parents, or on their own (unaccompanied homeless youth). School districts reported enrolling 75,940 unaccompanied homeless youth. Studies have found that:

• 40-60 percent of unaccompanied homeless youth were abused physically in their homes, 20-40 percent were abused sexually.
• Over two-thirds of unaccompanied homeless youth report that at least one of their parents abuses drugs or alcohol.
• Unaccompanied homeless youth are more likely to fall victim to sexual exploitation, including trafficking.

The ED data underestimate the number of homeless children in the United States. The data do not include homeless infants and toddlers, young children who are not enrolled in public preschool programs, and homeless children and youth who were not identified by school officials.

In response to the ED data, leading advocates for homeless children released the following statements:

“A record number of homeless students means a record number of our children being exposed to sexual trafficking, abuse, hunger, and denial of their basic needs,” said Bruce Lesley, President of the First Focus Campaign for Children. “The new data means that a record number of kids in our schools and communities are spending restless nights in bed-bug infested motels and falling more behind in school by the day because they’re too tired and hungry to concentrate. This is a desperate situation, and the first step we must take is to get homeless students the housing assistance they need today by passing the Homeless Children and Youth Act.”

“The data released today confirm what our members see every day – increasing numbers of children and youth struggling to survive without a home,” said Barbara Duffield, Director of Policy and Programs for the National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth. “Public schools are the only universal safety net for these children and youth — a place where they can obtain basic services and the education that is necessary to escape poverty as adults. Yet without access to HUD homeless assistance, schools struggle to stabilize the education and the lives of homeless children and youth. The Homeless Children and Youth Act would eliminate the red tape that prevents local agencies from collaborating to create better futures for these vulnerable students.”

“It is shocking and sobering that in a country this wealthy we have so many students who lack a place to live,” said Jeremy Rosen, Director of Advocacy at the National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty. “Unfortunately, current federal homelessness policy makes it harder for children, youth, and families to leave homelessness. Congress should pass the Homeless Children and Youth Act so that we can see these numbers begin to decline.”

“Clearly, the federal government has abandoned its commitment to fill yawning gaps in affordable housing options for low income families – and left America’s public schools to deal with the consequences,” said Ruth White,  Executive Director, National Center for Housing and Child Welfare. “These alarming trends could be easily reversed by prudent investments in federal housing programs that help these struggling families make ends meet.”

“With 75,940 unaccompanied homeless youth counted in public schools  and less than 7,000 beds for this population, it is clear that we have a long way to go to providing this very vulnerable homeless youth population with the care and resources they need,” said Darla Bardine, Executive Director, National Network for Youth.

The data released by the U.S. Department of Education are available on the website of the National Center for Homeless Education (NCHE). NCHE is the U.S. Department of Education’s technical assistance and information provider in the area of homeless education.

# # #

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.campaignforchildren.org.

NAEHCY is a national grassroots membership association dedicated to ensuring the school enrollment, attendance, and overall success for children and youth whose lives have been disrupted by the lack of safe, permanent and adequate housing. For more information, see www.naehcy.org.

The National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty (NLCHP) is a 501(c) 3 organization based in Washington, D.C. and founded in 1989 as the legal arm of the national movement to end and prevent homelessness. Through policy advocacy, public education, and impact litigation, NLCHP addresses the root causes of homelessness and seeks to meet both the immediate and long-term needs of homeless and poor people. Through training and support, NLCHP also enhances the capacity of local groups.

The National Center for Housing and Child Welfare (NCHCW) links housing resources and knowledge to child welfare agencies in order to improve family functioning, prevent family homelessness, and reduce the need for out-of-home placement. NCHCW also brings housing resources to child welfare agencies in order to ensure that older youth in foster care have a connection to permanent family as well as a solid plan for stable housing and services to help them be successful as adults.

The National Network for Youth (NN4Y), founded in 1974, is the nation’s leading network of homeless and runaway youth programs. The Network champions the needs of runaway, homeless, and other disconnected youth through strengthening the capacity of community-based services, facilitating resource sharing, and educating the public and policy makers. NN4Y members work collaboratively to prevent youth homelessness and the inherent risks of living on the streets, including exploitation, human trafficking, criminal justice involvement, or getting killed on the streets. For more information, visit www.nn44youth.org.

Washington — More than 250 advocates for children and the homeless today sent a letter to Capitol Hill, endorsing bipartisan legislation to eliminate bureaucratic obstacles that deny federal assistance to nearly one million homeless children. The letter, sent to the congressional sponsors of the Homeless Children and Youth Act (HR 5186 in the United States House of Representatives and S 2653 in the U.S. Senate) was coordinated by the First Focus Campaign for Children and the National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth. It was signed by more than 50 national and regional advocacy organizations ranging from the American Psychological Association and the Child Welfare League of America to the National Parent Teacher Association and the National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty, as well as more than 215 advocates in 41 states and the District of Columbia.

“HUD denies help to nearly a million homeless children who live every day with the same hunger, trauma, exploitation and violence as homeless adults,” said First Focus Campaign for Children president Bruce Lesley.

“Homeless children and their families, along with unaccompanied youth, face urgent housing needs. We must change federal policy so that local communities can address them,” said Jeremy Rosen, Director of Advocacy at the National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty.

The U.S. Department of Education reports that more than 1.1 million children in America are homeless. Children face the same problems as other homeless Americans, including hunger, health problems, and increased risk of exploitation and violence. But because the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) uses a different definition of “homeless,” the bulk of the nation’s homeless children cannot get basic HUD-funded assistance, like supportive housing, food, and mental health services.

The Homeless Children and Youth Act, sponsored in the United States Senate by Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Rob Portman (R-Ohio), and Mark Begich (D-Alaska), and in the U.S. House of Representatives by Congressman Steve Stivers (R-Ohio-15) and Congressman George Miller (D-Calif.-11), would eliminate the definitional obstacle and funding restrictions that effectively deny most homeless children basic assistance. As the letter observes, the bill would not require local governments and nonprofits receiving HUD funds to prioritize children, but it would empower local leaders to serve all homeless people and end current policies that deny most homeless children the same assistance available to homeless adults.

“Homeless youth are denied access to HUD homeless assistance programs due to a lack of eligibility or their ability to ‘prove’ their homelessness. HCYA would enable homeless youth providers to serve all youth who are homeless,” Darla Bardine, Executive Director, National Network for Youth.

“Every day, public schools serve children and youth whose lives have been disrupted by homelessness, who struggle to focus on their schoolwork because they don’t know what will happen after the school bell rings. This legislation would allow schools and early childhood programs to make referrals for critical HUD homeless assistance services that would stabilize their education, and their lives,” said Barbara Duffield, Director of Policy and Programs, National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth.

“This thoughtful legislation simply restores HUD to its proper role of helping communities prevent and end homelessness for all vulnerable community members. After a decade’s worth of harmful, Washington-driven homeless policy that stripped funding from family, domestic violence, and youth shelters and services, the HCYA comes not a day too soon,” said Ruth White, Executive Director, National Center for Housing & Child Welfare.

“This bipartisan plan would restore local control to communities, so Washington bureaucrats can no longer deny homeless people help just because they’re children,” said Lesley.

# # #

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.

The National Network for Youth (NN4Y) is the nation’s leading network of homeless and runaway youth programs. The Network champions the needs of runaway, homeless, and other disconnected youth through strengthening the capacity of community-based services, facilitating resource sharing, and educating the public and policy makers. NN4Y’s members serve homeless youth across the country, working collaboratively to prevent youth homelessness and the inherent risks of living on the streets, including exploitation, human trafficking, criminal justice involvement, or death. For more information, visit www.nn4youth.org.

The National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth is a national membership association dedicated to supporting the educational success of children and youth experiencing homelessness. NAEHCY connects educators, service providers, advocates, families and youth to ensure school attendance and overall success for children and youth whose lives have been disrupted by homelessness. NAEHCY accomplishes its mission through advocacy, partnerships, and education. For more information, visit www.naehcy.org.

The National Center for Housing and Child Welfare (NCHCW) links housing resources and knowledge to child welfare agencies in order to improve family functioning, prevent family homelessness, and reduce the need for out-of-home placement. NCHCW also brings housing resources to child welfare agencies in order to ensure that older youth in foster care have a connection to permanent family as well as a solid plan for stable housing and services to help them be successful as adults.

The National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty (NLCHP) is a 501(c) 3 organization based in Washington, D.C. and founded in 1989 as the legal arm of the national movement to end and prevent homelessness. Through policy advocacy, public education, and impact litigation, NLCHP addresses the root causes of homelessness and seeks to meet both the immediate and long-term needs of homeless and poor people. Through training and support, NLCHP also enhances the capacity of local groups.

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.”

# # #

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.

Washington – The First Focus Campaign for Children, a national bipartisan children’s advocacy organization, reacted to today’s introduction by Congressman Frank Pallone (D-N.J.) and Congressman Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) to extend funding for the bipartisan federal-state Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). The bill would extend federal CHIP funding for four years. Unless Congress acts first, CHIP funding will end on October 1, 2015.

CHIP is a bipartisan success story, created by a Republican-controlled Congress and a Democratic president in 1997. The initiative offers state governments flexibility to deliver coverage through private health insurance companies using programs tailored to the needs of children in each state. It is credited in large part for the 50 percent reduction in the rate of uninsurance among children since the late 1990s.

CHIP provides health care for eight million children. If CHIP funding is not extended, millions of those children will become uninsured, others will be added to states’ Medicaid rolls or get coverage through the Affordable Care Act (ACA) “Marketplaces.” A study released on Tuesday shows that CHIP offers more coverage of child-specific care than Marketplace plans, with dramatically lower out-of-pocket costs.

“CHIP protects children’s health and families’ economic security every day, and we thank Congressman Pallone and Congressman Waxman for standing up for CHIP and children’s health. With all of the progress we have made in reducing the numbers of uninsured kids, it makes no sense to end the CHIP program. Children will lose coverage if Congress fails to act.”

# # #

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.

Contacts: 
Ed Walz, First Focus Campaign for Children, 202-657-0685
Darla Bardine, National Network for Youth, 202-783-7949
Barbara Duffield, NAEHCY, 202-364-7392
Ruth White, National Center for Housing and Child Welfare, 202-270-7336
Diane Milan, Covenant House, 212-613-0300

Washington – Advocates for children today applauded the introduction of bipartisan legislation to eliminate bureaucratic obstacles that deny federal assistance to nearly one million homeless children.

The U.S. Department of Education estimates that more than 1.1 million children in America are homeless. Children face the same problems as other homeless Americans, including hunger, health problems, and increased risk of exploitation and violence. But because the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) uses a different definition of “homeless” for children, the bulk of the nation’s homeless children cannot get basic HUD-funded assistance, like supportive housing, food, and mental health services.

The Homeless Children and Youth Act, sponsored in the United States Senate by Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Rob Portman (R-Ohio), and Mark Begich (D-Alaska), and in the U.S. House of Representatives by Congressman Steve Stivers (R-Ohio-15) and Congressman George Miller (D-Calif.-11), would eliminate the definitional obstacle and funding restrictions that effectively deny most homeless children basic assistance. The bill would not require local governments and nonprofits receiving HUD funds to prioritize children, but it would empower local leaders to serve all homeless people and end current policies that deny most homeless children the same assistance available to homeless adults.

Organizations endorsing the legislation included the First Focus Campaign for Children, the National Network for Youth, the National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth, the National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty, the National Center for Housing and Child Welfare, and Covenant House. Responding to the bill’s introduction, these organizations released the following statement by First Focus Campaign for Children president, Bruce Lesley:

“HUD denies help to nearly a million homeless children who live every day with hunger, trauma, exploitation and violence. This bill offers a bipartisan plan to level the playing field, so Washington bureaucrats can no longer deny homeless people help just because they’re children.”

# # #

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.

The National Network for Youth (NN4Y) is the nation’s leading network of homeless and runaway youth programs. The Network champions the needs of runaway, homeless, and other disconnected youth through strengthening the capacity of community-based services, facilitating resource sharing, and educating the public and policy makers. NN4Y’s members serve homeless youth across the country, working collaboratively to prevent youth homelessness and the inherent risks of living on the streets, including exploitation, human trafficking, criminal justice involvement, or death. For more information, visit www.nn4youth.org.

The National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth is a national membership association dedicated to supporting the educational success of children and youth experiencing homelessness. NAEHCY connects educators, service providers, advocates, families and youth to ensure school attendance and overall success for children and youth whose lives have been disrupted by homelessness. NAEHCY accomplishes its mission through advocacy, partnerships, and education. For more information, visit www.naehcy.org.

The National Center for Housing and Child Welfare (NCHCW) links housing resources and knowledge to child welfare agencies in order to improve family functioning, prevent family homelessness, and reduce the need for out-of-home placement. NCHCW also brings housing resources to child welfare agencies in order to ensure that older youth in foster care have a connection to permanent family as well as a solid plan for stable housing and services to help them be successful as adults.

Covenant House was founded in 1972 with the simple, profound mission to help homeless kids escape the streets. Today we are the largest privately funded charity in the Americas providing loving care and vital services to homeless, abandoned, abused, trafficked, and exploited youth.

Washington – The First Focus Campaign for Children, a bipartisan children’s advocacy organization, sent a letter today urging members of Congress not to sign a letter coordinated by Congressman Darrell Issa (R-CA) concerning the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) immigration policy. Issa’s letter urges President Barack Obama to rescind DACA and accelerate the deportation of immigrants who entered the United States as children.

“Children fleeing brutal violence come to America seeking protection and opportunity, and Congressman Issa wants to give them an express ticket back to extreme danger,” said Campaign for Children president Bruce Lesley.

The Campaign for Children letter challenges mischaracterizations in Rep. Issa’s letter, which asserts that DACA is responsible for increased immigration by Central American children. The Campaign for Children letter observes that, like refugees fleeing Syria and other conflict regions, children are fleeing Central American countries wracked by increased political instability and drug violence.

“Rather than attacking children and pitting one vulnerable set of youth against another, Congress should be working towards solutions to protect the best interests of all children,” said Lesley.

# # #

Washington – The First Focus Campaign for Children, a bipartisan children’s advocacy organization, today endorsed the Vulnerable Immigrant Voice Act of 2014, legislation sponsored by Congressman Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) to ensure that child migrants are appointed legal counsel in removal proceedings.

“Children fleeing brutal violence come to America seeking protection and opportunity – instead, they find detention and a legal labyrinth that would overwhelm most adults,” said Campaign for Children president Bruce Lesley.

Escalating violence and instability in Central America has prompted an increased flow into the United States of children seeking safe haven. Children and families are often forced to make the difficult decision of embarking on the dangerous journey to avoid near certain death in their home countries. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security reports that, since October 1, 2013, more than 47,000 migrant children have entered the U.S. alone.

But upon arrival in the United States, those children – some as young as two years old – face detention and the same complex deportation processes applied to adults. Congressman Jeffries’ proposal would ensure that all child migrants facing immigration enforcement actions would be represented by attorneys.

“Child refugees need defense, not additional trauma,” said Lesley. “And Congressman Jeffries’ bill delivers.”

This legislation comes on the heels of an announcement by the White House that the Obama Administration plans to augment resources for immigration enforcement, with the intent of accelerating deportations of immigrants from Central America, including families and child refugees.

“An express ticket back to extreme danger is the wrong solution for these vulnerable children,” said Lesley.

 # # #

Washington – The First Focus Campaign for Children, a national bipartisan children’s advocacy organization, sent a letter today thanking U.S. Senator Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) for introducing the first legislative proposal to extend funding for the bipartisan federal-state Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). Rockefeller’s bill, the CHIP Protection and Extension Act, would extend federal CHIP funding for four years. Unless Congress acts first, CHIP funding will end on October 1, 2015.

“CHIP protects children’s health and families’ economic security every day, and we thank Senator Rockefeller for being the first in Congress to stand up for CHIP and children’s health,” said First Focus Campaign for Children president Bruce Lesley.

As the letter details, CHIP is a bipartisan success story, created by a Republican-controlled Congress and a Democratic president in 1997. The initiative offers state governments flexibility to deliver coverage through private health insurance companies using programs tailored to the needs of children in each state. It is credited in large part for the 50 percent reduction in the rate of uninsurance among children since the late 1990s.

In February, First Focus coordinated a letter urging quick action to protect CHIP funding. The letter, cosigned by more than 400 national, state, and local organizations, including at least one organization in every state, observes that state budget officials will soon be making decisions about the future of their CHIP programs, making action this year essential to protect children’s health.

CHIP provides health care for eight million children. If CHIP funding is not extended, millions of those children will become uninsured, others will be added to states’ Medicaid rolls or enrolled through the Affordable Care Act (ACA) exchange marketplaces. But the nonpartisan Medicaid and Chip Payment Advisory Commission reports that U.S. Internal Revenue Service regulations implementing the ACA’s tax subsidy would leave exchange coverage unaffordable for nearly two million children.

“With all of the progress we have made in reducing the numbers of uninsured kids, it makes no sense to end the CHIP program. Children will lose coverage if Congress fails to act,” said Lesley.

          # # #

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, visitwww.ffcampaignforchildren.org.

Washington – The bipartisan children’s advocacy organization First Focus Campaign for Children sent a letter today urging members of the United States House of Representatives to oppose legislation funding the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), absent the adoption of amendments to strike policies that undermine efforts to mitigate childhood hunger and obesity. Though the legislation fully funds critical child nutrition initiatives, it weakens those initiatives’ nutritional standards.

“It’s hard to oppose a bill that fully funds initiatives for children, but funding bills aren’t just about how much money, they’re also about how that money’s used. Child nutrition initiatives aren’t a pipeline for subsidies to corporate farms and food manufacturers,” said Campaign for Children president Bruce Lesley. “With one-in-five children living in homes that struggle with hunger and a national childhood obesity epidemic, it’s time Congress put the nutrition back in child nutrition programs.”

The bill would offer schools waivers of nutrition standards established under the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 (HHFKA). The Campaign for Children letter reminds lawmakers that the waiver provision is largely unnecessary. An overwhelming majority – 90 percent – of schools have already met HHFKA standards. USDA has also offered flexibility and technical assistance to schools struggling with compliance.

“Congress should ensure schools have the resources necessary to meet nutrition standards, not lower the standards that protect children,” said Lesley.

The letter also cautions against other efforts to weaken nutritional standards in the National School Lunch Program and other food aid initiatives. The bill would override science-based nutritional standards for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), requiring USDA to subsidize white potatoes, despite the federal Institute of Medicine’s recommendations to the contrary.

“The House should put science and children ahead of politics,” said Lesley.

# # #

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.