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WASHINGTON, DC – The Children’s Defense Fund (CDF) today applauded Congress for passing the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act that will offer significant relief to millions of struggling children and families and help put the country on the road towards economic stability. The new investments will increase assistance for unemployed workers and offers substantial support to children in economically stressed families across the country.

“With this economic recovery package, Congress has given unprecedented support to our nation’s most vulnerable children and families,” said Children’s Defense Fund President Marian Wright Edelman. “The investments in this legislation puts many parents back to work—which ultimately benefits children—and at the same time helps to prepare our children to be competitive in a global economy. Addressing our human capital deficit and eliminating child suffering is the most important short- and long- term investment our nation can make. With so much to be done, I applaud Congress for taking these important steps forward for our children and their families.”

CDF outlined several key aspects of the package that will help children and families. Among them:

• Provisions that will create and keep millions of jobs over the next several years;
• An expansion of the Child Tax Credit that will benefit 13 million children by putting money in the hands of economically stressed families who will spend it quickly to meet their basic needs;
• Investments in education and quality early childhood programs that will keep teachers and child care workers employed and make preventive investments in children that will help them become productive future employees and
• Fiscal relief for states to maintain health care, education and social services that will help states avoid cuts when struggling families need help the most.

For more information about the Children’s Defense Fund, visit www.childrensdefense.org.

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