The American Family Act will increase CTC payments for children under 6 years of age from $2,000 to $3,600 annually and from $2,000 to $3,000 for children between ages 6 and 17.
Read MoreThank you, Mrs. Edelman, for your unwavering dedication to defending and uplifting America’s children and youth. Your commitment for the past 50 years has brought us closer to a nation where marginalized children flourish, leaders prioritize their well-being and communities wield the power to ensure they thrive.
Read More
Children’s Defense Fund unites its voice with the Congressional Black Caucus, the Congressional Progressive Caucus, and our institutional and grassroots partners across the nation in declaring work requirements a non-starter in any deal to raise the debt ceiling.
Read More
Congress, state legislators, and government agencies must then reframe policies for the future and permanent enactment, coordinating multiple networks of support in both housing and healthcare.
Read More
On April 26, the House passed a bill that uses the ongoing debate around lifting the debt ceiling to force budget cuts to critical federal programs that support the health and wellbeing of children and youth. This bill would result in millions of Americans losing their access to quality and affordable healthcare, cash assistance and income support through TANF, rental assistance, and access to child care.
Read MoreIn the face of a global pandemic, the Biden administration issued a series of measures to sustain millions of low-income children and families. Despite its success, the Public Health Emergency (PHE) and policies enacted under the emergency declaration will expire on May 11. And the pain will be real.
Read MoreSenator Patty Murray and Representative Bobby Scott have reintroduced the Child Care for Working Families Act. This act comprehensively improves our nation’s early care [...]
Read More
On Monday the nation paused, again, to mourn the tragic loss of three children to gun violence at Covenant School in Nashville, Tennessee, alongside three adults who cared for them. Again, because according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, at 19%, firearms are the leading cause of death for children in our country. Again, because according to the Gun Violence Archive, there have been more mass shootings than days in the year 2023.
Read MoreWhile we are encouraged by President Biden’s proposed expansion of the Child Tax Credit, increased investment into early care and education, and other programs that improve outcomes for children and youth—we call on the President and Congress to further commit to expanding and strengthening supports for this nation’s most marginalized.
Read More
Children's Defense Fund celebrates National Reading Month with our Banned Book Syllabus: Banned Books We Love. Featuring books from the CDF Freedom Schools® Integrated Reading Curriculum (IRC), our Banned Book Syllabus promotes rich, culturally relevant, and high-quality books for young readers of all ages.
Read More