The House TANF bill would require all recipients of cash assistance to meet regularly with a case manager. Withought new resources, states wouldn't be able to provide meaningful individualized services.
Medicaid is under siege again after several failed attempts by Congress last year to drastically restructure it. This time, states are on the attack, with the blessing and encouragement of the federal CMS. Many states are seeking waivers to drastically change Medicaid’s eligibility criteria by disenrolling people who don’t work enough hours.
As people stock up on supplies to prepare for the year’s storms, we need to ensure the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Medicaid are ready, too.
The House Ways and Means Committee has passed a TANF reauthorization bill with no Democratic support. But members of both parties have said TANF isn't providing people what they need to find and keep good jobs.
With the historic allocation of $2.4 billion in new federal Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) funds in the 2018 omnibus spending bill, we have the opportunity to improve child care and early education policies for infants and toddlers, and their parents and caregivers. It is critical that those dollars are used to advance racial equity.
Today, Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) and colleagues in the Senate, along with Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-CA 40) and colleagues in the House, introduced the Humane Enforcement and Legal Protections (HELP) for Separated Children Act to protect children separated from their parents by immigration enforcement actions.
The benefits of expanding Medicaid are clear: Greater financial security for those gaining health coverage, fewer uninsured patients for hospitals to treat, and projected net fiscal gains for states.
Many people know immigration agents aren’t supposed to arrest and apprehend people at places like schools, hospitals, and churches. It’s less widely known that early childhood programs are also protected.
States have reduced time-consuming administrative processes and improved state delivery systems by streamlining and simplifying public benefit programs. Unfortunately, the House farm bill would roll back these gains in SNAP, hurting hardworking families and burdening state officials.
Eleven states have asked permission from CMS to disenroll people who don’t work a certain number of hours each week or month. So far, three states Kentucky, Indiana and Arkansas have received CMS approval. These states are embarking on work that will cost hundreds of millions of dollars and result in fewer people having health insurance.
