Earlier this month, as part of its overall budget plan, the Trump administration proposed a radical restructuring of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as food stamps. The changes would involve $213 billion in cuts over a decade, and one fundamental change would mean that just over 80…
Archives: Voices
Janus vs. AFSCME: An attack not just on labor unions, but on lower- and middle-income America
Editor’s note: Deborah Weinstein, Executive Director of the Coalition on Human Needs, issued the following statement Monday, Feb. 26 in response to oral arguments before the U.S. Supreme Court in Janus vs. AFSCME. “Today the U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments in a case that could adversely affect millions of working…
Resources from around the Coalition: Trump FY19 budget edition
On Feb. 12, the Trump administration released its Fiscal Year 2019 budget request. Since then, CHN’s members have been busy analyzing the proposal and pointing out the many ways it would slash basic human needs programs and harm low-income people. Listed below are just a few of these analyses and…
The Human Needs Report: President Trump’s FY19 budget request special edition
CHN just released a special edition of the Human Needs Report focusing on President Trump’s FY19 budget request, including sections on select departmental budgets. Click here for a PDF version of the Human Needs Report. The Trump FY19 Federal Budget Slashes Critical Human Needs Programs The Trump administration released its Fiscal…
CHN to Senate: Vote for a Narrow Solution for the Dreamers; Oppose Harsh Restrictions
Editor’s note: CHN Executive Director Deborah Weinstein sent the following letter today to all Senators in advance of their votes on various immigration proposals: “The national organizations making up the Coalition on Human Needs urge you to enact legislation narrowly drawn to protect the Dreamers, those people brought to this…
Will Congress grant free rein to predatory payday lenders?
UPDATE: H.R. 3299, the bill referenced below, passed the House by a vote of 245-171 on Feb. 14. See how your representative voted here. Last month, Voices for Human Needs reported on efforts by the Trump administration to repeal an Obama-era rule aimed at curtailing the predatory practice of payday lending. Not…
Human Needs Report: Spending and budget deal, immigration, work requirements and more
CHN just released our latest edition of the Human Needs Report. Read on for the latest on Congress’s spending and budget work, immigration, work requirements, and a rule affecting tipped workers. Click here for a PDF version of the Human Needs Report. Overnight Shutdown Ends after Budget and Spending Deal is Reached…
Paid family and medical leave means a stronger nation
Editor’s note: This piece was written by Debra L. Ness, president of the National Partnership for Women & Families. It was originally published on Medium and on the National Partnership’s blog on Jan. 29. CHN joined the National Partnership and others in celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Family and Medical Leave…
When flu season and Groundhog’s Day arrive together
Punxsutawney Phil’s Nightmare On February 2, Punxsutawney Phil, as we all know, peers out of his hole and if he sees his shadow, 6 more weeks of winter. But what if he was a little feverish from flu? What if instead of his shadow, he saw a nightmarish image that…
It takes a child to raise a village
We’re all finding our way as we try to be activists, both figuring out how to propel our democracy and how to teach the spirit of activism to our children. My daughter Lauren Weinstein does a weekly comic for The Village Voice, and her depiction of taking our beloved 8-year old…
Withdraw the rule. Protect tipped workers.
Back in December, Voices for Human Needs reported on a proposal that would make workers’ tips the property of employers, which would harm an already vulnerable workforce made up mostly of women and, disproportionately, of women of color. Studies out just last month show how much damage the proposed Department…
Head Smacker: The State of the Union edition
There were so many Head Smackers in President Trump’s State of the Union address last night that it nearly left many of us at CHN with concussions. Thankfully, CHN’s members were quick to react and get the facts out there. Below is a recap of just a few of the…