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Human needs advocates largely welcome compromise spending measure; cuts to nutrition assistance, housing mostly averted 
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March 4, 2024

Many human needs advocates are breathing sighs of relief this week as Congressional leaders in both chambers and in both political parties released compromise text for six spending bills that must pass by Friday, March 8 to avoid a partial government shutdown. 

CHN’s Human Needs Watch: Tracking Hardship, February 23, 2024
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February 23, 2024

The Poison Pills Edition. Congress has set deadlines for completing 12 bills that provide funding for all the federal programs requiring annual appropriations – including nutrition for babies, toddlers, and the aging, rental subsidies, environmental protection, child care, education from pre-k to college, transportation, and a whole lot more. Some of these programs will see their funding run out on March 1; the rest on March 8, if Congress does not finally approve funding or pass another extension. If funding runs out, the programs covered will shut down until Congress finally acts. Despite the fast approach of these deadlines, Congress is now in a recess. The Senate will return on Monday, February 26; the House not until February 28, just two days before the March 1 deadline.   

CHN to Congressional appropriators: Say no to an extremist minority using poison pill riders to cut, block, and shut down
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February 20, 2024

CHN’s Executive Director Deborah Weinstein joined with other organizations in the Clean Budget Campaign this week to call on Congress to do its job and pass bills to fund the full range of government services, and to reject inserting extremist policies in the funding bills that could not get majority support on their own. Her comments are included in a Facebook video presentation to be shown on Wednesday, Feb. 21 at 3:00 p.m.

CHN’s Human Needs Watch: Tracking Hardship, February 2, 2024
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February 2, 2024

The domestic emergency needs edition. You’ve heard some in Congress say we have an emergency along our Southern border. And yes, it is true that Republicans should join Democrats at the table and negotiate a comprehensive immigration bill – one that treats immigrants fairly, whether they are already here, or are seeking to come here due to facing political oppression or various other forms of violence at home. But as members of Congress stare down the FY 2024 appropriations process from both sides of the aisle, it is abundantly clear that we have a number of domestic human needs emergencies we must address.

CHN: The Senate should join the House to improve the Child Tax Credit 
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February 1, 2024

With the House passage of the Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act, Congress is one important step closer to making needed improvements in the Child Tax Credit that will benefit 16 million children in families with low incomes and lift 400,000 children out of poverty this year. Now the Senate must act expeditiously to pass the bill, with no amendments that would reduce the Child Tax Credit’s help to children.   

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