| For Immediate Release February 26, 2009 |
For More Information Contact: Ed Shelleby (202) 662-3602 |
WASHINGTON, DC — Today, Children’s Defense Fund President Marian Wright Edelman released the following statement in response to President Obama’s budget outline.
“President Obama’s budget signals a new national commitment to children, families and America’s future. The President understands the importance of ensuring health coverage for everyone in America and has included an ambitious plan for comprehensive health reform in his first budget. Earlier this year, President Obama righted one of the egregious wrongs of the Bush Administration by signing into law the expansion of the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) which could provide health coverage to an additional 4 million children. However, until the President’s goal of health reform is realized, 5 to 6 million children will remain uninsured and millions more underinsured. I now look forward to helping the President and Congress ensure every child and adult in America gets comprehensive, affordable health coverage in 2009.”
“This budget also takes important steps to better the lives of children and families by making permanent some of the improvements included in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act—such as expansions of the Earned Income Tax Credit and the Child Tax Credit. It also outlines investments in education and early childhood development, including a new five-year, $2.5 billion program to help low-income students complete college and continued increases in funding for Head Start, Early Head Start, and quality child care programs. The President understands that investing in children now will ensure a more stable economy and a healthier, more competitive workforce for the future.”
For more information about the Children’s Defense Fund, visit www.childrensdefense.org.
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