In a letter sent today to Capitol Hill, First Focus Campaign for Children urged Senate appropriators to prioritize children during consideration of the Fiscal Year 2026 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (LHHSED) spending bill, which will govern the level of support given to dozens of programs that support children and the families who care for them.
Excerpt from the letter:
Child-centered policy is good for our country and is good for our kids. The serious challenges children experience affect every aspect of their day-to-day lives – infant and child mortality are rising, child poverty is rising, uninsured rates for children are rising, child care is in crisis, the children’s mental health crisis is soaring, homelessness is up, and hunger is surging. These overwhelming challenges require more attention, understanding, and investment, not less. We urge you to make children a greater priority in federal budget and policy decisions by:
- Centering children when making upcoming decisions about the LHHSED spending bill and opposing harmful policy riders often debated as part of the appropriations process
- Rejecting any proposals to reorganize, restructure, or entirely eliminate federal agencies and departments during consideration of the FY2026 annual spending bills, continuing resolutions, and proposed rescissions legislation
- Insisting that the administration follows the law and releases the FY2025 funding that Congress enacted in March and does not withhold additional funding approved by Congress going forward
- Opposing future rescissions proposals that clawback congressionally approved resources for programs supporting children and their families