Washington – An amendment authored by U.S. Senator Kelly Ayotte (R-NH) would deny children who lack a Social Security number access to the refundable Child Tax Credit (CTC). The amendment targets children known as “DREAMers," who could one day be eligible for the Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act. The Ayotte amendment is expected to come to a vote during Senate floor consideration of legislation to restore military pension benefits. In response, the First Focus Campaign for Children released the following statement from First Focus Campaign for Children president Bruce Lesley:

“It’s wrong to target any child, especially when child poverty is already at the highest level in a generation. The Ayotte amendment targets the very DREAMers that both parties have sought to protect and threatens to drive them into poverty. We urge senators to reject this proposal which is a direct attack on children.”

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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.

Washington – United States Senator Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and Congressman Jared Polis (D-Colo.) introduced legislation today to support states invested in higher education access for all students, including undocumented students. The Investing IN States To Achieve Tuition Equity (IN-STATE) for Dreamers Act would eliminate a bureaucratic obstacle for states that make in-state tuition rates available to qualifying students regardless of immigration status, and it would provide $750 million in increased funding for states that exercise their option to make college education more accessible.

In December, First Focus released an analysis on the higher education barriers facing immigrant students. The report, Access to Education: Challenges and Opportunities for Immigrant Students, highlights the potential gains from improved in-state tuition access and the elimination of federal obstacles for immigrant students.

In response to the Murray-Polis announcement, the First Focus Campaign for Children released the following statement by president Bruce Lesley:

“America wins when every young person has an opportunity to reach his or her full potential and contribute to our nation’s success. Senator Murray and Congressman Polis understand that eliminating the barriers to children’s success is the best way to build a strong and vibrant future for America.”

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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.

Washington – An amendment authored by U.S. Senator Kelly Ayotte (R-NH) would deny children access to the refundable Child Tax Credit (CTC). The amendment, filed for possible consideration during Senate floor debate over legislation to restore military pension benefits, would make millions of children – the vast majority of whom are United States citizens – ineligible for the refundable CTC if their parents file federal income tax returns using an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN), instead of a Social Security Number. In response, the First Focus Campaign for Children released the following statement from First Focus Campaign for Children President Bruce Lesley:

“It’s wrong to target any child, especially when child poverty is already at the highest level in a generation. This proposal targets millions of the most vulnerable children in America and threatens to drive even more children into poverty. And our message to members of Congress: find a smarter solution, and don’t cut kids.”

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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.

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 children during 2013.

“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 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.

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. 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.

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Washington – As Congress works to deliver a budget compromise before Friday’s deadline, a nationwide poll released today by the bipartisan children’s advocacy organization First Focus Campaign for Children shows broad support protecting for federal investments in America’s children. The poll, conducted by the Republican polling firm American Viewpoint, found that strong bipartisan majorities, as well as independent voters and supporters of the Tea Party, backed continued and expanded federal investments in children.

“American voters are unified on one thing – they want Congress to invest in kids,” said First Focus Campaign for Children President Bruce Lesley.

Particularly relevant to this week’s budget negotiations, voters rejected budget cuts to federal children’s initiatives, including:

• By more than a four-to-one margin (77 to 18 percent), voters oppose cuts to child abuse and neglect prevention, including 69 percent of Republicans, 86 percent of Democrats, and 77 percent of independents;
• By a ratio of more than three to one (67 to 21 percent), voters reject cuts to the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), including 57 percent of Republicans, 85 percent of Democrats, and 61 percent of independents.
• By a ratio of more than three to one (74 to 23 percent), voters oppose K-12 education cuts, including 63 percent of Republicans, 87 percent of Democrats, and 71 percent of independents;
• More than two-thirds (68 percent) of voters oppose cuts to tax credits like the Child Tax Credit and the Earned Income Tax Credit, (including 59 percent of Republicans, 79 percent of Democrats, and 65 percent of independents), while just 26 percent favor such cuts;
• Nearly three-fourths (71 percent) of voters oppose cuts to Medicaid (including 63 percent of Republicans, 85 percent of Democrats, and 66 percent of independents), while just 26 percent favor Medicaid cuts;
• By a two-to-one margin (64 to 31 percent), voters oppose cuts to Head Start, including 77 percent of Democrats, and 60 percent of independents;
• Nearly two-thirds (60 percent) of voters reject cuts to child care (including 50 percent of Republicans, 71 percent of Democrats, and 59 percent of independents), while just 36 percent of voters favor such cuts;
• By a ratio of nearly two to one (62 to 32 percent), voters oppose cuts to early learning for young children, including 50 percent of Republicans, 77 percent of Democrats, and 59 percent of independents.

The poll not only shows strong bipartisan support for individual children’s initiatives, but also concerns about the well-being of children and broad and emphatic support for prioritizing children during tough fiscal times:

• A majority (57 percent) of voters believe the lives of children are worse today than ten years ago, while 27 percent think children’s lives are about the same, and just 13 percent feel children’s lives are better – the 13 to 57 percent margin is the worst since the Campaign for Children began polling on this question in 2007;
• Just one-fourth (26 percent) of voters are confident that our children’s generation will have better lives than we do today, whereas two-thirds (67 percent) are not confident; and
• When asked to prioritize deficit reduction and protecting investments in children, 31% of respondents placed a higher priority on investments in children, while 26% placed a higher priority on deficit reduction, and 41% rated both as equally important.

A bipartisan bicameral budget negotiation committee outlined a short-term budget package Tuesday that would ease the burden of 2012’s federal budget sequestration cuts. If applied proportionally to children’s initiatives, the budget deal’s sequestration relief would result in an estimated $3.6 billion in restored federal fiscal year 2014 funding for initiatives benefitting children, including $1.8 billion for K-12 education, $370 million in restored Head Start funding.

“This budget deal creates an opportunity to deliver what voters want – a budget that reinvests in children,” said Lesley.

American Viewpoint surveyed registered voters by telephone, with 50 percent of the interviews conducted via cell phone, between December 4th and December 8th, 2012. The poll of 800 registered voters has a margin of error of ± 3.46 percent in 95 out of 100 cases.

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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.

Washington – The bipartisan children’s advocacy organization First Focus Campaign for Children today endorsed legislation to ensure that no child is born uninsured. The Start Healthy Act, sponsored by United States Representative Diana DeGette (D-CO), would make babies uninsured at birth eligible for Medicaid until they are covered by other insurance.

“We created Medicare because Americans shouldn’t live their last years uninsured – let’s also ensure Americans don’t live their first years uninsured,” said First Focus Campaign for Children President Bruce Lesley.

Health care is particularly important for very young children, who routinely need medical care even when they are not sick. Consistent care during early years ensures that babies and toddlers receive required immunizations and appropriate screenings to ensure their health and development. The Start Healthy Act would make pediatrician-recommended preventive care, as well as necessary treatments for illness or injury, affordable for every child.

A First Focus Campaign for Children poll in 2012 found broad, bipartisan support for covering uninsured babies under Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program. The survey, completed by the Republican polling firm Public Opinion Strategies, found that 72 percent of respondents favored a policy similar to the Start Healthy Act, including 50 percent of self-described Tea Party supporters, 58 percent of self-described conservatives, 70 percent of those concerned with the federal budget deficit, and 81 percent of moms.

“As a nation that has one of the highest infant mortality rates among developed nations in the world, we must ensure that every child in this country begins with a healthy start. Rep. DeGette’s bill is exactly what a huge, bipartisan majority of voters want – a concrete plan to solve a problem that matters to real people,” said Lesley.

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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.

Washington – The bipartisan children’s advocacy organization First Focus Campaign for Children today released a letter urging key congressional negotiators to deliver “Farm Bill” legislation that rejects deep cuts to federal investments in child nutrition. The letter, coordinated by the First Focus Campaign for Children, was sent to Capitol Hill on Tuesday and signed by more than 35 national advocates for children, educators, parents, food pantries, faith communities, and others.

“With Thanksgiving just days away, Congress should be looking for ways to do more for kids and families struggling with hunger, not making it harder for them to get by,” said First Focus Campaign for Children President Bruce Lesley.

Legislation passed in September by the United States House of Representatives would cut Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly Food Stamps) funding by nearly $40 billion over 10 years. Forty-seven percent of SNAP funding goes to children. The House bill also makes several SNAP policy changes that would make it harder for hungry children to get the food they need. Specifically, it would:

• Cut funding for SNAP Education, an initiative that helps parents learn how to buy and prepare healthy foods and get the most nutritional value for every SNAP dollar;
• Direct state SNAP agencies to take families’ SNAP funds away if not fully used within 60 days, as families might do to stretch resources in response to a job loss, an illness, a wage cut, or other economic setback;
• Deny SNAP to some ex-offenders, which harms children by reducing the family’s net SNAP resources;
• Encourage states to impose a work requirements on families receiving SNAP, by allowing states to reallocate half of any savings from a work requirement program that results in SNAP denials (but does not require states to expand job training slots or reinvest recovered funds in job training programs); and
• Allow states to drug-test children and other SNAP recipients.

“It’s simple math – nearly half of every SNAP dollar goes to children, so the House plan takes food from hungry kids,” said Lesley.

The legislation would also weaken the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP). FFVP provides funding to help local schools make fresh produce available to children in low-income communities, but the bill would make dried, canned, and frozen produce – including products with added sugar, salt, or other additives – eligible for FFVP funding.

“Politicians and Big Ag lobbyists can’t fool the American people – pizza’s not a vegetable, and canned fruits packed in sugar syrup aren’t fresh,” said Lesley.

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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.

Washington – The First Focus Campaign for Children, a bipartisan children’s advocacy organization, today endorsed comprehensive early education legislation making quality pre-Kindergarten (pre-K) affordable for every child in America. The Strong Start for America's Children Act was introduced today in the U.S. Senate by Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) and in the U.S. House of Representatives by Congressman George Miller (D-CA) and Congressman Richard Hanna (R-NY).

“High-quality pre-K cultivates the ‘soft skills’ prized by employers, so this legislation gives today’s kids a better chance to compete in tomorrow’s economy,” said First Focus Campaign for Children President Bruce Lesley.

The legislation would make high-quality pre-K affordable by establishing a federal-state funding partnership similar in concept to the highly successful and bipartisan Children’s Health Insurance Program. It authorizes nearly $27 billion in federal funding to support qualifying state pre-K initiatives over five years (2014 through 2018), and it authorizes additional appropriations through 2023. States receiving federal funds must ensure that high-quality pre-K:

• Is affordable – for all four-year-olds in families with annual incomes under 200 percent of the federal poverty level (about $23,500 for a family of four, in 2013);
• Works for all children – by establishing early learning standards that align with their K-12 education systems and are appropriate for the children they serve, taking into account their developmental, language, and cultural needs;
• Meets quality standards – like minimum staff qualifications, evidence-based maximum class size, child-to-staff ratios, and health and safety standards, and provides comprehensive services including nutrition, health screenings, physical activity opportunities, and opportunities to engage families; and
• Improves outcomes – though it prohibits states from relying on a single assessment, the bill requires that states report on their progress increasing school readiness, narrowing school readiness gaps between children of different races and incomes, and reducing special education placements.

Children who attend high-quality pre-K programs show improved academic achievement and are less likely to drop out of school, become teen parents, or be convicted of a crime later in life. But existing pre-K initiatives vary considerably in quality, and at an average cost of about $8,800 a year, high-quality private pre-K programs are out of reach for many families. Children in Latino families are much less likely than their peers to have access to affordable, high-quality pre-K.

“It’s about fairness – quality pre-K levels the playing field, especially for poor kids, but it only works if parents can afford to enroll their kids,” said Lesley.

The legislation also recognizes the linkages between pre-K and early care and education for infants and toddlers. With center-based child care costing more than public college tuition in many states, parents often face difficult choices while at school or at work. To address this, the bill authorizes more than $1.4 billion to support partnerships between Early Head Start centers and child care providers serving children through age three. The proposal also establishes new partnerships to improve child care quality and dependability for participating children.

“Pre-K doesn’t exist in a vacuum, and we’ll get better lifelong results if we get child care and early education right from the start,” said Lesley.

Children’s Budget 2013, released by First Focus in July, found that 7.82 percent of federal spending is invested in initiatives serving America’s children. The more than $31.5 billion in new early childhood care and education investments in the Harkin/Miller-Hanna proposal would increase that share to 8.7%.

“Children are often an afterthought in federal budget debates, so it’s encouraging to see Republicans and Democrats working together on a significant new investment in America’s children,” said Lesley.

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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.

Washington – The bipartisan First Focus Campaign for Children commended today’s introduction of immigration reform legislation by Democratic members of the U.S. House of Representatives. The proposal largely mirrors bipartisan legislation (S. 744) passed earlier this year by the United States Senate, but replaces that bill’s controversial $46 billion “border surge” provisions with a bipartisan border security package (H.R. 1417) authored by House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Michael McCaul (R-TX) and approved by the committee in May. Like the Senate bill, the House Democratic legislation includes strong provisions to protect the interests of children, but still restricts access to health care and other safety net assistance. It also fails to include the bipartisan “Little DREAMers” proposal, which would eliminate citizenship obstacles for some of the youngest immigrants who entered the United States without documentation as children.

In response, First Focus Campaign for Children President Bruce Lesley released the following statement.

“Today, House Democrats took a stand for children and families who live every day with the consequences of our broken immigration system. This bill’s bipartisan policy protects kids and keeps families together, and its introduction provides important momentum for House action on immigration reform. While the Senate bill delivers real gains for kids, its controversial ‘border surge’ provision would spend $46 billion to turn children’s hometowns into military occupations. The House Democrats’ bill replaces that costly and controversial plan with a more responsible, bipartisan approach to border security. We hope today’s bill reignites the immigration reform debate in the House, and we look forward to working with lawmakers on both sides of the aisle to get the job done and deliver immigration reform that works for children.”

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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.

Washington – A stopgap budget measure scheduled for a floor vote in the U.S. House of Representatives (H.J.Res. 59) intended to defund the Affordable Care Act would also cut funding for the bipartisan Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) by 70 percent on October 1, 2013, according to the bipartisan children’s advocacy organization First Focus Campaign for Children.

CHIP funding was extended through September 2015, by Congress, as part of the ACA national health care law. The House will consider a procedural measure (H.Res. 352) today, which was drafted yesterday by the House Rules Committee to amend H.J.Res. 59. If the House passes that “rule,” the joint resolution would rescind funding made available to CHIP through the ACA. According to a First Focus Campaign for Children analysis of the resolution, its net result would be a $13.3 billion October 1st drop in CHIP funding from $19.0 billion to $5.7 billion.

“CHIP has been bipartisan from the start and, although this appears to be unintentional, it is important to note that the health coverage of millions of children would be put at risk,” said First Focus Campaign for Children President Bruce Lesley.

CHIP was enacted in 1997, by a Republican-controlled Congress and Democratic President Bill Clinton. It provides quality, affordable health insurance coverage through private insurance companies to an estimated nine million children nationwide. In partnership with Medicaid, CHIP has protected children from losing health care in the wake of a recession that cost millions of parents their employer-sponsored health insurance. State governments received just under $10 billion in federal funding through CHIP in federal fiscal year 2013.

“Unintended or not, the consequences here would be devastating for children and state governments. Before lawmakers cast a vote for this proposal, they should fully understand the implications of what they’re voting for and protect the health coverage of our nation’s children,” said Lesley.

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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.