Editor’s note: This piece was originally published by CNN on January 4. Low-income families struggle to pay their home energy bills in the best of times, and these are not the best of times. Record cold temperatures are bearing down along the East Coast and across the Midwest, and, based…
Archives: Voices
Cuts by any other name
Over the holidays, Jared Bernstein, Senior Fellow at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, had an interesting op-ed published in the Washington Post. His New Year’s resolution to journalists and others: When talking about changes to the programs that make up our country’s safety net, do not say “reform”…
If our children are so ‘precious,’ we must invest in them
Editor’s note: This piece was originally published by the San Francisco Chronicle on December 23, 2017. We often hear how “precious” a child is, what a “treasure” she is, and how our kids are “our greatest resource.” Neuroscientists tell us that ages 0-3 are the most critical years for cognitive, social and…
The value of seeing and treating poverty as a health issue
In July of this year, Barry Ostrowsky, the CEO of RWJ Barnabas – the largest hospital-based health care provider in New Jersey — sat down with PBS talk-show host Steve Adubato to talk about RWJB’s recently developed “social impact initiative.” In Ostrowsky’s words: “It is an attempt to make communities…
Ryan, McConnell and Trump’s Failed Leadership
Congress’ leaders and President Trump care about getting tax cuts to the wealthy and corporations – that much has been established. But how about carrying out the most basic responsibilities of government? Such as: ensuring the stable continuation of health coverage for children and operations of community health centers; helping…
Tax Bill Grinch steals Christmas — and threatens America’s lower- and middle-income families
Editor’s note: Deborah Weinstein, Executive Director of the Coalition on Human Needs, issued the following statement Tuesday, Dec. 19 in response to the tax bill passed today by the House and up for a vote in the Senate: “Today the tax bill Grinch stole Christmas and handed it over to…
Stealing Tips
Advocates for restaurant employees and other tipped workers are speaking out against a proposed rule that would make tips the property of employers, a proposal which opponents fear would lead to significantly less income for workers. The regulation from the Trump Administration’s Department of Labor, pushed by the National Restaurant…
“Monday is my 34th birthday. I probably won’t have many more.”
Health care advocates rallied at the U.S. Capitol Monday, part of a last-minute effort to defeat massive tax cuts – tax cuts that pose a potentially devastating threat to Medicaid, Medicare and other key programs. In an event that was part protest and part news conference, medical practitioners and patients…
Children and youth stuck in limbo while Congress fails to act
Editor’s note: This piece, written by Jessica Gehr and Wendy Cervantes of CLASP, was originally published on CLASP’s blog on Dec. 14. The lives of millions of children and youth hang in the balance because Congress has yet to act on two critical issues: the reauthorization of the Children’s Health Insurance…
Majorly Misplaced Priorities
Tens of thousands of Virginia families are just receiving what could be devastating news in their mailboxes. That’s because earlier this week, Virginia sent letters to families of more than 68,000 children informing them that their children may lose their health insurance at the end of January unless Congress acts…
Human Needs Report: Tax cut bill, avoiding a shutdown, disaster aid, and more
CHN just released our latest edition of the Human Needs Report. Read on for articles on Congress’s tax cut bill, avoiding a shutdown, disaster aid, the Children’s Health Insurance Program, Dreamers, and more. Click here for a PDF version of the Human Needs Report. Negotiations on Final Tax Bill Hit Some Snags House…
For the benefit of our children, Congress must reject the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act
Editor’s note: The following op-ed, authored by Lynette Fraga, appeared in The Hill on Friday, Dec. 8. Fraga is chair of the board of the Children’s Leadership Council and the Executive Director of Child Care Aware of America. The measure of a nation is how well we safeguard all children by offering…