Across the country, states are beginning the process of reopening their economies and lifting the restrictions on businesses. My home state of Georgia is among one of these states leading the charge.
Read MoreWe applaud the many important provisions laid out in the HEROES Act and will continue urging both chambers of Congress to include these and other steps to ensure our most vulnerable children and families can weather this crisis.
Read MoreFamilies should not have to worry where their next meal will come from or face harsh requirements that were impossible to meet even before this pandemic. The Pandemic TANF Assistance Act would provide vital assistance to families who need it most--an essential step toward comprehensive action to help children and families confronting severe economic hardship and poverty.
Read MoreAs the coronavirus pandemic upends daily life all across the country, families must continue to follow public health recommendations by staying at home and limiting contact with others whenever possible. But an unintended negative consequence of the pandemic is the news that up to 80 percent of American children are not visiting their pediatricians’ offices right now and are missing out on routine well-child visits that include important developmental screenings and vaccinations.
Read MoreNearly 12 million children, including 7.5 million Black and Latino children, are growing up in poverty in the United States - one of the highest poverty rates out of any developed country in the world. And the COVID-19 pandemic threatens to push millions more children into poverty with rates potentially climbing to the highest in 50 years.By expanding and increasing the CTC and creating a new tax credit for young children, Congress can proactively prevent millions of children from sliding into poverty during the pandemic and beyond.
Read MoreMore than 30 million people have lost their jobs since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, and millions of children could fall into poverty if Congress fails to meet this unprecedented challenge. Without robust federal support, one study estimates that child poverty could balloon from an already shameful 13.6 percent to nearly 21 percent, with Black and Latino children bearing a disproportionate risk of falling into or deeper into poverty.
Read MoreLast week, a federal appeals court ruled that the U.S. Constitution guarantees children the right to basic literacy, which is a departure from existing federal court precedent and a potentially monumental win for children.
Read MoreOur lawmakers must remember that workers are people, and many workers are parents. Some are unemployed or underemployed and struggling to access an overburdened and inadequate unemployment insurance program. Some are frontline workers without access to sick leave. And too many have to choose between caring for a loved one and their economic security. When these workers suffer, their children and families hurt, too.
Read MoreAs the scope and scale of the devastation from COVID-19 continues to grow, it is clear that children and families need additional support and now is not the time for Congress to be modest in its investment to critical services. In future legislation, the safety and well-being of America’s children and families must remain a top priority.
Read MoreAs COVID-19 ravages communities across our nation, more children are going to bed hungry and worrying about where their next meal will come from.
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