Washington – The U.S. House of Representatives today voted 218-199 to approve a federal budget “reconciliation” package (H.R. 5652) that would deepen cuts to America’s investments in children. This legislative package, approved just three days before Mother’s Day, cuts critical investments that help parents meet their children’s basic needs, including healthcare, nutrition, economic stability, childcare, and safety from abuse and neglect. First Focus has completed a comprehensive analysis of the reconciliation package’s cuts to children’s initiatives, but congressional leadership has not requested an analysis of the consequences of this package for children. The First Focus Campaign for Children urged lawmakers to understand those consequences before casting their votes. In response to today’s vote, First Focus Campaign for Children President Bruce Lesley released the following statement:

“The legislation passed today will do enormous harm to children due to proposed cuts to child health, nutrition, economic stability, child care, and safety from child abuse and neglect. Unfortunately, despite the vote, the full extent of harm to kids is still unknown to everybody involved. Furthermore, passing this legislation just three days before Mother’s Day just adds insult to injury. We ask the U.S. Senate to reject this package of cuts to children, as the burden of funding our national defense should not be placed upon the backs of children. Instead, we urge the U.S. Senate to ask the important questions the House ignored and protect critical investments that protect children from lifelong health problems, abject poverty, hunger, and abuse and neglect.”

Download the First Focus budget reconciliation package analysis here.

Download the First Focus Campaign for Children’s letter to lawmakers here.

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The First Focus Campaign for Children is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit organization affiliated with First Focus, a bipartisan children’s advocacy organization. The Campaign for Children advocates directly for legislative change in Congress to ensure children and families are a priority in federal policy and budget decisions. For more information, visit www.ffcampaignforchildren.org.