Every 10 years, the U.S. Census Bureau seeks to count every person living in the United States. The census counts adults and children; voters, people not registered to vote, and people who cannot vote; people of all races, genders, and religions; rich people and poor people; and people living in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., U.S. territories, and on American Indian reservations. And it counts everyone residing in the United States (which excludes people visiting from other countries for tourism or business trips), whether or not they are U.S. citizens.
Archives: Voices
CHN’s Human Needs Watch: Tracking Hardship, June 3, 2024
The tax scam edition. In 2025, a massive debate over taxes will be upon us. The outcome of the debate will determine whether the wealthiest Americans and largest corporations will pay their fair share – and whether our federal government will have the resources it needs to fund programs that address crucial human needs.
Advocates hail Biden Administration decision to expand and make IRS Direct File permanent
The IRS announced this week that it will both make permanent and expand Direct File, which this year for the first time enabled 140,000 filers in 12 pilot states to file their taxes quickly, easily, and, most important, for free. The announcement stated that all 50 states plus Washington D.C. will be invited to participate in the program.
I got help. Now I give back. That’s how a healthy society should work.
Life is unpredictable. And sometimes, no matter how hard you work, life throws curve balls that hit you in the gut. That’s what our tax dollars are supposed to be for — a helping hand when we’re most in need. More than once in my life, the social safety net came through for my family. And thanks to that help, we’re able to give back today.
Advocates for Older Americans Tell Congress: Don’t Cut SNAP’s Thrifty Food Plan
Three dozen groups advocating for older Americans this week delivered a letter to the chairs and ranking members of the House and Senate Agriculture committees expressing concern about possible cuts to SNAP. Advocates delivered the letter as the House Agriculture Committee prepared to begin their Thursday markup of the Farm Bill, which policy experts say could cut nearly $30 billion from SNAP over a 10-year period.
Coalition on Human Needs: House Farm Bill is a cruel and inhumane blueprint for increasing hunger in America
If the Farm Bill to be considered in the House Committee on Agriculture on May 23 becomes law, it will mean a cut of nearly $30 billion in SNAP benefits over a decade. Such cuts are unconscionable. For many children, they will make learning more difficult and lead to negative health outcomes. They will force families to choose between putting food on the table and paying for other expenses such as rent, utility bills, or prescription drugs. They will also harm our economy, removing the stimulative benefits of SNAP and even hurting farmers and ranchers along the way.
CHN’s Human Needs Watch: Tracking Hardship, May 20, 2024
The tale of two farm bills edition. One of the most important jobs Congress must accomplish during its remaining time before final adjournment is passage of the 2024 Farm Bill. This legislation – which is scheduled to be renewed every five years – is of utmost importance to human needs advocates because it sets policies and funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the nation’s most important and effective tool for fighting hunger.
A celebration of the Supreme Court decision in favor of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau by CHN’s Executive Director Deborah Weinstein
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has been fighting effectively against the old saying, “the poor pay more.” So the Supreme Court’s 7-2 decision against a suit brought by the payday loan trade association is really a cause for celebration. CFPB has reined in many fees and overcharges that disproportionately hit people with low incomes, saving consumers billions of dollars.
Child labor violations are on the rise. The Department of Labor is responding.
As incidents of child exploitation in the workforce skyrocket, the U.S. Department of Labor this month announced yet another large fine – this time, against a cleaning company that illegally supplied at least two dozen children to work overnight in slaughterhouses and meatpacking facilities in Iowa and Virginia. Fayette Janitorial Service LLC has agreed to pay $649,000 after DOL investigators found it sent workers as young as 13 into plants to scrub razor-edged machinery with high-powered hoses, scalding water, and dangerous chemicals.
Why paid leave is the best Mother’s Day gift.
When it comes to juggling work and family, moms are truly doing it all. Seventy-four percent of mothers were in the labor force in 2023 even as they took on a majority of families’ unpaid caregiving responsibilities. They’re major breadwinners too – nationally, 79 percent of Black mothers, 48 percent of white mothers, 43 percent of Asian and Pacific Island mothers, 49 percent of Latina mothers and 64 percent of Native American mothers lead their household’s earnings.
I run a food pantry but it’s not enough. We need funding for SNAP.
I run a food pantry. I’m proud of the work we do. But if lawmakers passed a liveable minimum wage or invested more in programs like SNAP, people wouldn’t need to rely on pantries like mine. Pantries are a critical piece of the anti-hunger puzzle, but they’re filler pieces. Government nutrition programs — with the infrastructure and funding to get the job done — should be the centerpiece.
698 groups tell appropriators: Invest in Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education needs
This week, almost 700 local, state, and national groups urged Congressional leaders to adequately fund programs included under the purview of the Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations subcommittees. The 698 groups, noting a previously enacted stringent cap on non-defense discretionary spending (aka, annual appropriations) for fiscal year 2025, urged that committee members avoid imposing “additional cuts for the necessary services this subcommittee oversees, and that funding is found to respond to urgent needs.”