| Basic needs programs like Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and the Child Tax Credit are not optional; they are essential. Media Contact: John Henry, jhenry@childrensdefense.org, Media Relations Manager, 708-646-7679 WASHINGTON, DC—Today, the national youth advocacy organization Children’s Defense Fund (CDF) delivered a letter to U.S. Senators urging them to reject proposed cuts to critical health, nutrition, and financial stability programs as part of the budget reconciliation process. The House’s budget reconciliation package, passed late last month, includes cuts to Medicaid, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and the Social Services Block Grant. CDF warns that these reductions would pose a serious threat to our vision of a future where marginalized children flourish, leaders prioritize children’s well-being, and communities have the power to help them thrive. Read the Letter: CDF Budget Reconciliation Letter Instead, CDF is calling on the Senate to pass a legislative package that centers the needs of children and families. “[The budget reconciliation package] proposes deep cuts to programs that provide families with access to health care, food, and financial stability,” the letter reads. “At a time when more than 11 million children are experiencing poverty, including three million under the age of five, we should be working to strengthen these supports, not weaken them. Unfortunately, you are currently considering a package that prioritizes the financial health of corporations over the well-being of children and youth.” CDF is also deeply concerned that the proposed legislation would fund mass deportations, potentially traumatizing more than 5.8 million children through family separations. The package would dismantle legal protections for immigrant children, enabling indefinite detention and harmful screening and deportation processes. It would also eliminate access to legal representation and critical support services, leaving unaccompanied immigrant children vulnerable to trafficking and exploitation. |